Bhubaneswar: The Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on Tuesday admitted that the illegal mining situation in Odisha cannot be compared with the rampant illegal mining in Goa and Karnataka. At the same time the panel has indicated that the miners in Odisha can expect some harsh surprises.
The visiting two member team of the CEC has finished its hearing with 25 miners and is expected to submit its report by July end. The 25 miners include KJS Ahluwalia, Serajuddin, Aditya Birla Group’s Essel Mining, Rungta Sons, Rungta Mines,MESCO and Tata Steel.
The panel has also asked the state government to complete the hearing of miners, who have violated Rule-37 of Mineral Concession Rules (MCR)-1960.
The eight mining lessees that have been found guilty of violating Rule-37 and were issued show cause notices by the government are Indrani Patnaik, KJS Ahluwalia, RP Sao, Sarda Mines, Aryan Mines (Koira), Mala Ray mines (Keonjhar), Kabita Agrawal (Koira) and Mideast Integrated Steel’s (Mesco) Barbil mines. However, the panel has asked the state government to examine 4 more mines on the rule 37 violation issue.
“Though the State Government had earlier found eight lessees violating Rule 37 under MC Rules, the CEC today asked it to examine the cases of four more mines,” Director of Mines Deepak Mohanty said after attending a meeting of the CEC members and mines lease holders here. Six of the eight miners have already challenged the state government’s charges and moved the revision authority under the Union mines ministry against the State government.
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