Odisha to submit digitised records of 46 more mines

The state steel & mines department will soon submit digitised records of 46 iron ore & manganese ore leases in the state to the M B Shah Commission of enquiry appointed by the Centre to investigate cases of illegal mining and suggest remedial measures.

“Earlier, we had sent digitised records of 51 iron ore and manganese mines in the Joda mining circle to the Shah Commission in two phases. We will be shortly sending similar records for 46 more mine leases as desired by the commission,” said a senior official of steel & mines department.

The probe panel which had visited Odisha in December and taken stock of allegations against illegal mining through field visits of select mines operating in the Joda sector was expected to visit the state soon. But the state government was yet to receive any formal communication from the commission.

This time, the commissioner, M B Shah has opted out of Odisha visit and in his absence, the probe panel will be led by U V Singh, chief conservator of forests (Karnataka) and one of the commission’s members. The commission is likely to visit some mines in the Koira mining circle in Sundergarh district.

In its last visit, the commission had taken serious note of illegal mining activities in the state, stating that it would not have been possible without the connivance of bureaucrats.

The panel also raised concern over the rampant extraction of iron ore by miners in excess of the approved mining plan especially in the Joda mining circle, urging the state to curb production so as to ensure that the finite mineral resource is left for future generations. The commission had also expressed displeasure over Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) for its alleged inaction against miners involved in ore extraction beyond the approved mining plan.