Grasim Industries fined for illegal mining activity

The Orissa government has taken action against Grasim Industries, a Aditya Birla group company, for illegal mining activities.It has fined the company Rs 2 lakh for resorting to prospecting through drilling at Khatkurbahal and Jauramunda under Rourkela mining circle before the execution of the prospecting license.

However, the case was compounded on the basis of the written prayer of the offender, steel and mines minister Raghunath Mohanty said.

In a written reply to the state assembly Mohanty said, the Orissa government has taken action against four other mine lessees for resorting to mining beyond their leased area during last five years.

They are S N Das Mohapatra, S A Halim, B S Mishra and R B Das. He said, S N Das Mohapatra illegally raised minerals at Rudukela, Kolha, Rourkela, Bhunya mines area. When the government took action against the lessee and seized the minerals, he moved the Orissa High Court and filed a writ petition.

Following the High Court order, the lease area was demarcated under the supervision of a joint director of mines.

The quantity of fine manganese ore extracted from the lease area and from outside the lease area was also determined. Records, returns and the books of accounts are under scrutiny to determine the quantity of manganese ore lumps raised from outside the lease area.

Appropriate legal action will be taken after the process is over. Similarly, S A Halim was found to have illegally raised and disposed off 1951 tonne of iron ore.

A penalty of Rs 46,05,468 was imposed on him. The minister said, action was taken against R B Das for unauthorisedly working outside the lease hold area. About Rs 57,51,801 was collected towards the cost of minerals and penalty. The case was compounded under section 23C of MMDR Act, 1957.