Odisha Government stays firm on its decision of penalty notice 

Bhubaneswar:
Despite its differences with the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) the Odisha
government on Thursday reiterated its stance on the penalty notice served to 104
mining lessees.

“The
notices have been sent according to the provisions of the law. If the miners
want to challenge it in the court, we are ready to face it” said Deepak Mohanty
, Odisha  Director of Mines. He added
that, “we have sent the notices according to the sub-section 21(5) of the MMDR
act 1957 and this sub section has enough provisions for penalty. In spite of
the fact that the government has already collected royalty and issued transit
pass, the law allows us to recover the cost price of the minerals.”

He
was reacting to yesterday’s statement by the regional controller of mines
M.Biswas that excess raising of minerals case is a case of irregular mining and
not a case of illegal mining. 

He
has stated that, the act of the miners is a violation of mining plan,
Environment and Forest laws and Pollution Control rules.

The Section 21(5) of the MMDR act says, “Whenever any person
raises, without any lawful authority, any mineral from any land, the State
Government may recover from such person the mineral so raised, or, where such
mineral has already been disposed of the price thereof, and may also recover
from such person, rent, royalty or tax, as the case may be, for the period
during which the land was occupied by such person without any lawful authority.”

He was speaking in the sidelines of the hearing at the Shah
Commission. The Shah Commission Thursday Examined the records of the Matadin
Mines of Sharda, Baipandia and Bonei mines of Zenith in the Koira Circle and
Jurundi mines of the Tarini Minerals in the Joda circle. In the afternoon, the
officials of the Sharda and Jindal Steel and Mines (JSPL) appeared before the
commission.  The Commission members had
visited the Tensa iron ore mines belonged to JSPL in Koira Sector during the
field inspection. Tomorrow, ‘Tribeni Earthmovers’ has been called to appear
before the commission.