33 lesses violated forest laws in seven years

Tata Steel, Essel Mining & OMC in violators' list

As many as 33 lesses in mine rich Keonjhar and Sundergarh districts violated Forest Conservation Act-1980 and Odisha Forest Act-1972 between 2005 and 2012.

According to a written reply furnished in the state assembly by forest minister Bijayshree Routray, miners like Tata Steel, Essel Mining & Industries Ltd, KJS Ahluwalia, Ram Bahadur Thakur, Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), Arjun Ladha and Rungta Mines are amongst the violators.

In case of Tata Steel's Joda east iron ore and Manmora manganese mines in Keonjhar district, six illegal pits were noticed on the safety zone. Illegal over burden dumping was also observed in the Baitarani reserve forest violating the land use pattern approved by Union ministry of environment & forests (MoEF).

Besides, the lessee laid an illegal slurry pipeline within the Baitarani reserve forest. In respect of these violations, a show cause notice  was issued to Tata Steel in June 2011 and a case has also been booked for the violation. The illegal slurry pipeline and crusher has been seized, sealed and de-operationalized.

Tata Steel also deviated the land use pattern and constructed a drain at its Khandabandh iron ore and manganese mines, also in Keonjhar district. A forest offence case was booked against the lessee.

Similarly, Essel Mining deviated the condition of approval under Forest Conservation Act by extending mining activities in six patches within forest land of 9.49 hectares of its Jilling-Longalota iron ore and manganese mines in Keonjhar district. A forest offence case was booked against the miner.

In case of OMC, closure notice was issued to its Khandabandh iron ore mines in December 2009. The state controlled miner operated its mines on non-forest land without approval for forest land. OMC also dumped over burden in the leasehold area.