Under Oppn fire, Orissa govt to revamp mineral administration

The Orissa government, which came under opposition fire on the issue of illegal mining activities during the last session of the state assembly, is in the process of revamping the mineral administration of the state.

The measures proposed to be taken up for this purpose include manpower planning, introduction of the new system of transit pass, application of information technology and strengthening enforcement squad to check illegal mining and transportation of minerals in the state.

]The preparedness of the department of steel and mines to deliver as per the commitment made by the government on the floor of the state assembly was reviewed in a high level meeting chaired by the steel and mines minister Raghunath Mohanty today.

Sources said, the minister was informed that apart from administrative enquiry, the vigilance enquiry into the alleged illegal mining of manganese ore by Ram Bahadur Thakur Ltd near Joda has started. It may be noted, several members of the state assembly had raised the issue of illegal mining of manganese ore by this company during the budget session of the state assembly.

While making a statement on the floor of the state assembly on 15 July, the chief minister Naveen Patnaik had announced that strong action will be taken against those persons who will be found guilty in the illegal mining of manganese ore. The state government had ordered a vigilance enquiry into the allegations.

Similarly, the steel and mines minister had assured the assembly that the state level enforcement squad will be strengthened for increasing collection of mining revenue. All the required transit passbooks will be printed at the government press and deployment of additional police force in the squad will be ensured. As a measure in that direction, the secretaries of the steel and mines department and transport department have worked out the detail modalities for print of transit passbooks in the Orissa Government Press (OGP), Cuttack.

Further, to strengthen the enforcement, the steel and mines department is in the process of moving the finance department for appointment of two sections of police force in the second state level enforcement squad. Besides, more weigh bridges are proposed to be set up in important mines area to check illegal transport of minerals.

“All the commitments made by the government in the state assembly will be fulfilled. We are gearing up to streamline the entire mineral administration,” a senior official said.