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Renewal of mining leases in Odisha is now fraught with a tough challenge following issue of new guidelines by Union ministry of environment & forests (MoEF), making it compulsory for miners to obtain full forest diversion.
Forest diversion cases apply to 55 out of 59 working mines in the state and these 55 lessees have achieved only partial diversion of their leasehold area. Failing to comply with the MoEF guideline would mean surrendering the portion of the lease area by the miners where forest diversion has not been obtained.
“According to the MoEF guidelines issued on February 1 this year, miners have to achieve full forest diversion within two years. Else, their leases would not be eligible for renewal. This notification of the ministry cannot be bypassed. Out of 59 working mines, forest cases involve 55 lessees and they have got only partial forest diversion. We will now instruct them (mine lessees) to obtain full forest diversion,” said director (mines) Deepak Mohanty.
A checklist has been prepared for all working mines, he informed. The check list will have copies of orders and letters of different authorities as against any statutory clearance or other approvals. The list is also to be accompanied by joint verification reports of the district level task force on mining.
The 12-member inter-departmental committee of the state government headed by development commissioner J K Mohapatra formed to consider renewal of mining leases today reviewed the status of these working mines.
Since applying for full forest diversion and obtaining the same by the miners will be time consuming, Mohanty said, the state government will request the Odisha High Court to allow more time to dispose off all pending cases of renewal. In an interim order delivered on December 21 last year, the High Court had instructed the state government to dispose off all such applications within three months.
As many as 323 mining lease renewal applications are pending for disposal. Three officers of the steel & mines department have been deployed to expedite the process.
Tata Steel, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JSPL), Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), Essel Mining & Industries Ltd (EMIL), Mid East Integrated Steel Ltd, Ferro Alloys Corporation (FACOR), Rungta Sons and KJS Ahluwalia are amongst the 53 miners operating their leases under deemed extension.
Apart from forest diversion issue, Mohanty said, there was the case of scheduled area that needed to be scrutinised.
“As per the Scheduled Area guidelines, tribal area cannot be leased out. A detailed scrutiny has to be done in this connection along with the officials of departments of revenue and forest & environment,” said Mohanty.
