After going slow for many years, the Government is displaying urgency in a new mining law…The draft...dwells on three important interests of communities affected by mining - environmental pollution, development of the areas surrounding mines and livelihood of the project-affected people...However, the emphasis in the mining plans as in the framework is on measures to be taken rather than results that must be achieved. If there are no limits set on maximum permissible pollution, there can be no accountability for polluting the environment, degrading the forest, or reducing the quality of life of the surrounding community as far as this mining regulation is concerned. …If the new mining law is aimed at changing the attitude of communities towards mining, it may be missing the point entirely. [refers to Sterlite Industries (part of Vedanta), Coal India, National Mineral Development Corporation]