As the nine-member independent commission of enquiry headed by Justice M B Shah embarks on a six-day visit to the state from Wednesday to probe into alleged illegal mining activities, the mines department seems to have gone into a high-alert mode.
The nine-member commission is likely to split into two teams that will visit mining sites in Keonjhar, Joda and Koira circles.
The mines department which has already bared most facts pertaining to mining activities in the state before the commission, is geared up to apprise the commission on steps taken to curb illegal ore excavation and transport by the lessees.
“The steel & mines department has not renewed any expired mine lease. We have instead rejected over 50 such applications. Presently, 40 mining leases are working under deemed extension. Show cause notices have been served on three lessees in connection with violation of Rule-37 of Mineral Concession Rules-1960. Broadly, we will inform the commission on measures taken by our department to crack down on errant lessees,” said a top official of the department.
Three lessees- Indrani Patnaik, K J S Ahluwalia and T P Sao had blatantly violated Rule 37 of Mineral Concession Rules-1960 by forging illegal links with the raising contractor.
Five more lessees- Sarada Mines (Barbil), Aryan Mines (Koira), Mala Ray mines (Keonjhar), Kabita Agrawal (Koira) and Mideast Integrated Steel's (Mesco) Barbil mines are in the dock for the same violation.
The independent enquiry commission headed by Justice M B Shah, retired judge of Supreme Court is also likely to hold discussions with top officials of the state government besides inspecting mines.
The commission will among other things scrutinize the status of all 188 working and suspended iron ore and manganese ore mines in the state, check whether lessees have valid mining plans and also examine violations of mining and forest laws by the miners.
The state government had submitted its first report to the commission on May 13 and filed its next reply on June 1 this year. Later on August10, the commission has sought some additional information on areas like lease wise production, exports, violations detected under Orissa Minerals (Prevention of Theft & Smuggling Rules)- OMPTS-2007 and action taken thereof and the steel & mines department had complied with the same by September-end.
More recently, the commission had sought information from the steel & mines department on alleged violation of Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act, 1957 and Mineral Concession Rules (MCR)-1960 by Patnaik Minerals Private Ltd in the Joda circle.
The stringent measures taken up by the steel & mines department have now left barely 117 mining leases working out of a total of 600 leases. Operations of 242 mines have been suspended while work in 157 other mines has been temporarily discontinued. As many as 40 leases have been terminated with the steel & mines department not renewing any of the expired leases.
