Shah panel examines official records on mining activity in state

The six member team of the Justice M B Shah Commission of enquiry appointed by the central government to probe illegal mining which arrived here on Wednesday cleared the air that they will examine the records related to mining activities in the state.

“This is our second visit to the state. We are examining the files of the revenue department, forest department, ministry of environment , Indian Bureau of Mines, commercial  taxes and other departments connected to the mining”, U V Singh, additional principal conservator of forest from Karanataka and head of the investigating team told media persons here.

He said, depending on the situation the team may go for a field visit.

The commission, which has already submitted reports on illegal mining in Goa in two parts, did not commit any date on the submission of report on Odisha.  “It depends on the verification of records available with us, if we complete the report during this visit then it will be tabled shortly”, Singh added.

The panel has already submitted an interim report on illegal mining for the entire country.

The illegal mining probe panel, later in the day, held discussions with top officials of all the concerned departments at the state guest house.

The commission had earlier sought relevant information from the mining, forest and revenue departments as well as commercial tax directorate under finance department on areas like digitization of mine lease boundaries and cases of violations under mining and forest laws.
Chief Secretary B K Patnaik had asked all concerned departments to keep all the records ready for perusal of the panel.

In December, 2011, an eight member team of the commission led by Justice M B Shah, a former Supreme Court judge, had visited select mines under Joda mining circle in Keonjhar district and had taken serious note of illegal mining activities, stating that it would not have been possible without the connivance of bureaucrats.

The mines inspected by the panel during its previous visit include Sarada Mines, Joda (east) mines of Tata Steel, Kasia iron ore and dolomite mines of Essel Mining & Industries, Mideast Integrated Steel’s (Mesco) Barbil mines, Unchabali iron ore & manganese ore mines of Indrani Patnaik, Patnaik Minerals Pvt Ltd under Joda circle, Jajang mines of Rungta Mines, Mala Ray mines and B D Patnaik's Kalapahad mines. The panel members had also visited the Paradip port to check export quantity of iron ore.