Sarada Mines, Tarini Minerals lock horns over mining in No Man's zone

The land is in the Thakurani reserve forest in Joda mining circle

A tussle has broken out between Sarada Mines and Tarini Minerals on raising iron ore on a disputed patch of 34.36 hectares of forest land in the Thakurani reserve forest in Joda mining circle categorised as ‘No Man’s zone’.

Both Sarada Mines and Tarini Minerals, having a history of lease boundary dispute, have been playing the blame game, accusing each other of encroachment. The Thakurani (Block-B) mines held by Sarada Mines shares a common boundary with the Deojhar iron ore mines of Tarini Minerals on the north eastern boundary.

But of late, Sarada Mines has hit out at Tarini Minerals, alleging illegal extraction and lifting of 2,000 tonne of iron ore.

“Tarini Minerals is habituated of illegal mining and making encroachments in the adjoining mineral rich area without having any respect for the statutory rules, regulations and government orders. The said company illegally entered into and has mined out iron ore from the prohibited part of our lease declared as ‘No man’s land’ declared by the order of the deputy director of mines dated November 29, 2011”, Arjun Saraswat, director, Sarada Mines wrote to deputy director of mines (DDM), Joda circle recently.

In the order relating to the survey and demarcation of common boundary line (pillar 24 to 34 of Thakurani iron ore mines Block-B), DDM-Joda had asked both the leaseholders to abide by the outcome of survey and also to put the old pillars accordingly in proper place.

“Both of you are hereby asked to maintain the disputed location isolated as No Man's land till the finalisation of dispute as per direction of the Odisha High Court”, the order said.

During routine inspection of the lease boundary area, the security personnel of Sarada Mines noticed that the employees of Tarini Minerals were excavating iron ore from the ‘No Man’s land’ by engaging their excavator and heavy dumpers. The mining lease pillars no 31 and 32 were also shifted.

“The facts reveal that Tarini Minerals have no regard for statutory rules, regulations and government orders and they always try to do things in their own way for their own benefits. We therefore request your good self for appropriate legal action against Tarini Minerals for disobeying the order and directions issued on November 29, 2011 and carrying out illegal mining from the No Man’s land”, the Sarada Mines director said in the letter to DDM, Joda.

Tarini Minerals, however, has defended its iron ore extraction and lifting from the prohibited zone. The lessee claimed it was excavating ore as per the direction issued by the state director of mines during his visit to the lease area last month along with members of the Supreme Court appointed central empowered committee (CEC).

“During the inspection of CEC, the director of mines told us on the spot that ORSAC (Odisha Space Applications Centre) has confirmed your boundary lease pillars in reference to the reserve boundary pillar during their recent survey inn the month of August 2013 and if Sarada Mines has erected fencing inside your boundary, you can take out the fencing and start mining in that area”, mines manager of Deojhar iron ore mines of Tarini Minerals Ltd stated in a letter to director of mines, Odisha.