With a Central tribunal setting aside the order of the Orissa government on refusing mining lease to the scam tainted miner Ram Bahadur Thakur Ltd (RBTL), the state government has decided to challenge the order of the tribunal either in the Orissa High Court or the Supreme Court.
“The state government will challenge the decision of the revision authority either in the Orissa High Court or the Supreme Court. The state government was justified in refusing mining lease of RBTL. The company was not granted the mining lease as it had no forest clearance and had also not submitted the mining plan. We had taken the decision to refuse mining lease for RBTL on the basis of findings of the State Vigilance and also on the basis of administrative enquiry of steel and mines department,” state minister for industries and steel & mines Raghunath Mohanty told mediapersons here.
In a blow to the state government, the Central tribunal had quashed its order in the RBTL case, stating that the order was drawn under influence and was prejudged. The order of the state government was not a speaking order and there has been non-application of mind, the tribunal said in its order.
The tribunal stated that the only allegation made by the state government against RBTL or its power of attorney holder Shakti Ranjan Dash is in the FIR and the FIR is only an information and not an inference or verification of facts.
“There is no allegation whatsoever against Dash or RBTL with respect to illegal mining. The allegations in the showcause notice served on RBTL and conclusions given in the impugned order of the state government do not appear to be in sync with or natural consequence of the events precedent thereto.
“They remain isolated to themselves and in contradiction to stand taken before the Orissa High Court an consequent compliance of its orders,” the tribunal said in its order.
Faced with a barrage of criticism over the alleged involvement of RBTL in illegal mining activities, the state government had refused mining lease for the company in its order dated July 20 last year.
