Plea to fill up vacant posts

The collector of mineral rich Keonjhar district has urged the state government to take up necessary steps to to fill up vacant posts lying in several departments to monitor illegal mining in the area.

There are about 203 unfilled posts in the district in departments such as forest, revenue, and police. The collector said as a key mining hub, the area needs to be monitored by a large official team, which can be engaged in inspection, digital mapping and revenue collection.

At least 100 iron ore and manganese ore mines are situated in the north Orissa district, out of which more than 50 have stopped operating. Currently about 37 mines are working in Keonjhar and the number of operating mines could go up once their mining lease gets renewed. The state government said it has instructed the departments concerned to take necessary action.

Recently, illegal mining inquiry commission in its interim report suggested that illegal mining can be checked by employing more people in mine areas.