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Public sector steel giant Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), state controlled miner Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) are in the list of 111 miners saddled with NPV (net present value) dues.
“There are 111 mining lease holders against whom NPV is outstanding as demanded in pursuance of CEC (central empowered committee) order. Five mining lease holders have deposited NPV amount partly as demanded. Similarly, for industrial projects, NPV is partly outstanding against Posco India Ltd”, forest & environment minister Bikram Keshari Arukh told the state assembly in a written reply.
The five lessees who have partially cleared their NPV dues are Indian Rare Earths Ltd- IREL (for Ilmenite and other associated minerals), B D Agarwal (Ururmunda and Uperjagar iron ore mines), Sarojini Pradhan (Kalaparbat iron ore mines), B D Patnaik (Kalaparbat iron ore mines) and Matadin Sarda (Khajurdihi Mandajoda and Dalita manganese mines).
The NPV is the amount the user agencies need to deposit for diversion of forest land. It includes the cost of the land along with tangible and intangible benefits of the forest area and is charged at Rs 5.8 lakh to Rs 9.2 lakh per hectare depending on the type and density of the diverted forest land.
The biggest defaulter is state run miner OMC that needs to pay off NPV dues for its 11 mines with deposits of iron ore, manganese, chromite and china clay. OMC's NPV dues have mounted to Rs 301.95 crore. The concerned mines are- SGBK iron mines, Sidhamatha iron and manganese mines, Roida D manganese mines, Boula chromite mines, Banipanka chromite mines, Bangur chromite deposit, Rantha iron ore mines, Saruabil Sukrangi chromite mines, Balipada Mahagiri chromite deposit, Dumira china clay mines and Nishikhal manganese mines.
SAIL has defaulted in payment of NPV of forest land coming within its Harmath iron and manganese mines under Keonjhar division. Though the Keonjhar divisional forest officer (DFO) had raised a demand of Rs 76.79 crore, the amount still remains unpaid.
Similarly, Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) has pending NPV dues for two of its mines- Bansudhara east open cast coal deposit (Sundargarh) and Balanda open cast project (Angul). The coal miner has to pay Rs 4.75 crore for each mine.
