Odisha govt machinery succumbed to illegal mining: Shah panel

There was large scale illegal mining in Odisha from 2008-11, during which the government machinery "collapsed and looked ineffective and helpless", the Justice M B Shah Commission has said.
Expressing lack of confidence in state police for carrying out a fair investigation, the Commission has recommended that all cases pertaining to such mining be handed over to the CBI.
"There was a large scale illegal mining went during 2008, 2009, 2010 and a part of 2011 in the state. During this period, there was a collapse of government machinery and looked to be ineffective and helpless in front of mining mafia, persons in political life, mighty lessees and some corrupt officials," said the high powered panel.

In its 5-volume report, the Commission has asked the state government to recover over Rs 59,203 crore from miners for "unlawful extraction of iron and manganese ores" as early as possible.
Criticising the state police, it said that there is "hardly any substantial progress" in present investigation of cases or in the efforts of tracing further illegalities.
The Commission said: "Since there is involvement of mighty lessees, big traders of state and outside state, political entities, officers at higher ranks, it will not be possible by state Police to find the facts and realities and there would be no justice done for quantum of illegalities took place.

"Hence, it is recommended to institute a CBI inquiry in all cases where the FIRs were registered by Police, Vigilance Department and other cases in Mines, Police, Revenue, Forest and other departments during 2008 to 2011."

Listing out 3 FIRs registered by Deputy Director of Mines, Joda circle, the Commission said that the CBI inquiry should be held against all companies which are included in the FIRs as it was found that 89 rakes and 67,811 tonnes of iron ore were dispatched at different places by different persons.
The named persons in the FIRs were neither lessees nor licensees of the Joda sector, the Commission said, adding that "there were many more cases of this kind have gone untraced as seen in the complaints received from various organisations, NGOs, people of high integrity and others".

It has also indicted several departments and officials, including state pollution control board and environment and forest department, for failure in checking uncontrolled mining that has led to extreme pollution and degradation of areas.
"Illegal mining of such a large magnitude can not be done without the connivance of the district level and above officials of mines, revenue and forest departments. There may be also some political shelter," the Commission said.
It added that despite having enough power and authority to deal with and punish the offences for violation of air and water pollution laws, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board did not exercise them and "allowed the situation to deteriorate at its lowest ebb...

"Accountability in this regard shall be fixed and action should be initiated against the concerned.