The Justice M B Shah Commission of enquiry on Friday visited five mines in Keonjhar district, kicking off its field probe into alleged illegal mining activities in the state.
The mines inspected by the commission include Unchabali iron ore & manganese ore mines of Indrani Patnaik, Patnaik Minerals Pvt Ltd under Joda circle, Jajang mines of Rungta Mines, Mala Ray mines and B D Patnaik's Kalapahad mines.
The commission led by Shah, a retired judge of Supreme Court was accompanied by the Keonjhar district collector and superintendent of police, deputy director of mines of Joda mining circle and divisional forest officer of Keonjhar. Members of the commission including U V Singh, chief conservator of forests-Karnataka and G T Pandya, assistant commissioner (industries), Gujarat were part of the visit.
The field visit to these mines follows a closed-door meeting which the Shah Commission had on Thursday at the district rural development agency (DRDA)-Keonjhar. A wide array of officials including district collectors and superintendents of police of Keonjhar and Sundergarh, deputy director of mines (Joda and Koira), respective mining officers of the two circles, regional officer of State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) and divisional railway manager of East Coast Railway (ECoR) were present at the meeting.
The details of what transpired during yesterday's meeting is yet to be known. The commission is expected to visit some more mines in Joda, Barbil and Koira sectors and the itinerary will be worked out after mutual consultations between the commission's members and top officials of Sundergarh and Keonjhar districts.
The inspection of the five mines assumed significance as these leaseholders have been in the dock recently over statutory violations.
Indrani Patnaik has been found guilty of violation of Rule-37 of Mineral Concession Rules-1960.
Similarly, Patnaik Minerals has been accused of violations of Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act, 1957 and Mineral Concession Rules (MCR). The commission, prior to its visit to Orissa, had sought information from the steel & mines department on this alleged violation.
On December 11, the commission will interact with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), locals and all other stakeholders of the mining sector in Keonjhar.
The commission's probe will culminate with the meeting with the state Chief Secretary scheduled for December 12 at 10 am at the state secretariat. The secretaries of departments of steel & mines, commerce & transport and revenue and disaster management will also participate in the meeting.
