Bhubaneswar: For the first time in this fiscal (2019-20), the state government has invited tenders for auctioning seven mineral blocks including two chromite blocks lapsing March 31, 2020.
The Directorate of Mines Wednesday issued Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for the five freehold deposits (four limestone and one graphite block) and two chromite blocks.
Four limestone blocks Pipalmunda, Khatkurbahal (North), Behera Banjipali, Garramura; a graphite block, (Jagdalpur) and two lapsable chromite deposits such as Saruabil and Kamarda have been put to auction.
Presently, the chromites blocks are under the leasehold of BC Mohanty (Kamarda) and Misrilall Mines (Sasubil).
As per notification issued by the Directorate, the deadline for purchase of the tender documents is September 11 and the bidders can submit their bids by 5 pm of September 20.
This is just a trailer. The main movie will come in the next few months as lease of nearly 40 major mines is going to expire in March, 2020. Major mining players have now hit the field.
According to sources, the big boss in the mining field, who has strong control over the mines in the state and having very good connections with both the state and the Centre, is eyeing to grab the maximum out of these mining blocks put/ready for auction.
As per preliminary estimations, these seven blocks have over 120 million tonne reserves with the estimated resources valued at over Rs 20,000 crore, the sources said.
In this fiscal, Odisha is planning to auction 40 mineral blocks – 16 merchant and 24 new mines – online. Once these mines are put to auction, people from other states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu may grab the mines and no one can guarantee that they would not violate the norms.
If such a thing happens, the state will never see any compensation like local mining owners do following the order of the Supreme Court. By the time the new miners are found doing illegal mining, the state would have lost all mineral resources.