Forest dept files cases against 19 mine owners

Joda, Nov 28: Long after the MB Shah Commission and the Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC) submitted their probe reports on the multi-crore mining scam in the state to the Supreme Court, the forest department has initiated crackdown on 19 mine lease holders on charges of violating forest laws.

The department has filed cases against them at Barbil JMFC and Keonjhar SDJM court Thursday.

The Shah Commission and CEC had pointed out large- scale illegal mineral extraction by the mine lease holders in contravention of various statutory norms. The Commission and the CEC had also recommended action against the errant miners. On the basis of the recommendations made by the Shah panel and CEC, the forest department had conducted probes into their illegalities in August 2014. Three months after the investigation, the department has gone in for final prosecution against the mine owners.

The mines which now face legal action include Orissa Mineral Development Company Limited (OMDC)’s Bhadrasahi, Kolhoroida, Belakundi and Bagiaburu mines, BPME’s Thakurani mine, KN Ram mine, DC Jain’s Dalpahad mine, Sarojini Pradhan’s Balita mine, Gandhamardan Putulpani mine, Malaray’s Jalhari mine, Orissa Mining Corporation’s Gandhamardan mine; Tata’s Joda East mine, Khandabandha mine and Joda west mine; KJS Ahluwalia’s Nuagaon mine, and RP Sao’s Guari mine.

Keonjhar divisional forest officer (DFO) Rohit Kumar Lenka said that 19 mine owners had illegally quarried mines without obtaining forest clearance. The miners had also violated Forest Conversion Rule-1980, he added.

Various quarters and outfits have sought to know how the mines department could permit these companies to carry on mineral transportation without checking their forest clearance.