CBI registers PE in mine allotment in Jharkand

CBI today registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) against unknown officials of JSW Steel Private Limited and Ministry of Enviroment and Forest for alleged diversion of forest land for a mining project.
CBI sources said that the clearance for the project for mining in Ankua reserve forest in Jharkand was given in 2013.
The allegation made by the CBI in the PE was that unknown officials of JSW and Ministry of Environment and Forests entered into a criminal conspiracy for getting approval for this mining activity.
The CBI alleged that there were irregularities in granting approvals and clearance during which previous objections made on transfer of land were ignored, the sources said.

It further alleged that due process of diversion of forest land was circumvented to facilitate the Rs 45,000 crore JSW Steel to undertake mining in the reserve forest areas.
There was no reaction from JSW to email and SMS messages sent to its spokesperson seeking reaction to the allegations made by the CBI against the company.

The Forest Advisory Committee had given the go ahead for the diversion of a 1,500 hectare dense forest area in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand to two companies including the JSW.
JSW Steel had sought the diversion of nearly 1,000 hectares to mine iron ore and manganese from the Ankua Reserve Forest, just six kms from the Ankua-Ambia Elephant Corridor.

It is alleged that the proposal was cleared in favour of the JSW without receipt of a report from the state government and a report of the Expert Committee which would have examined the plan for safeguarding of wildlife in the area.