Odisha task force may decide on pending express orders for mines

Meet likely to take stock of action on Shah panel report

The state task force on mining to meet tomorrow is likely to take a call on the fate of 18 iron ore and manganese mines awaiting express orders to restart operations.

These mine leases are off operations since the May 16 order of the Supreme Court.

These mines, awaiting second and subsequent lease renewal, are under temporary closure and are awaiting express orders of the state government to restart operations.

The 18 mines in question include the ones held by Tata Steel, K J S Ahluwalia, K N Ram, Kalinga Mining Corporation, Kaypee Enterprises, Mideast Integrated Steel, Aryan Mining & Trading Corporation Ltd, Bonai Industrial Company Ltd, Feegrade & Company Ltd, OMM Pvt Ltd, state run Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) and Rungta Mines Ltd.

In its May 16 interim order, the Supreme Court had called for suspending operations of 26 iron ore and manganese mines which were operating under the provisions of deemed extension of lease period awaiting their second and subsequent lease renewal. The court order had snapped supplies of high grade iron ore to the tune of 40 million tonne, leaving steel makers in the lurch.

The agenda of the task force also includes the follow-up action taken by the state government in the aftermath of the Shah Commission’s report on illegal mining.

In the third volume of its second report on illegal mining in Odisha, the commission recommended to the Centre to initiate probe by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against 14 miners for large scale illegal mining in their properties. The panel also pointed at complicity of state government officials in the scam.

The report said that the CBI enquiry must be started against companies such as Essel Mining, Sirajuddin and Co, Indrani Patnaik, Sarada Mines, Aryan Mining, M L Rungta, Mesco, Kalinga MIning Corporation, Ram Bahadur Thakur, S N Dasmohapatra and four other small miners. These miners were found guilty of illegal mining, excess production of iron ore and manganese ore and flagrant violation of Rule-37 of Mineral Concession Rules, 1960.

The task force chaired by the state chief secretary is also set to deliberate on the amendment proposed to Odisha Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2004.

Other items in the agenda include review of production and despatch of iron ore and manganese ore, mining revenue collection in the current fiscal, establishment of new check gates and weigh bridges at Joda and Koira mining circles and production at mines owned by state run Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).