Odisha govt to attach property of lease holders for illegal

The Odisha government will confiscate property of mining lease holders if they fail to pay their dues within 60 days, state Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick said.
"At least 56 mining lease holders are yet to pay Rs 7,689 crore penalty for illegal mining according to the August 2017 directive of the Supreme Court," Mallick said yesterday.
"Proceedings under the Odisha Public Demands Recovery Act will be initiated and their property will be attached for recovery of the penalty if they fail to make payment within the notice period of 60 days," he said.
The minister said that a committee headed by district collectors and revenue officials will initiate the proceedings to collect the penalties as per the guidelines of the Apex court.

The Supreme Court in August 2017 had directed the mining lease holders to pay 100 per cent penalty within December 31, 2017 for excess and illegal mining following which the state government issued notices to 131 mining lease holders.
The state government had collected over Rs 10,000 crore as penalty from defaulting mining firms operating without clearances against a total of Rs 17,576 crore, the minister said.
After completion of December 31, 2017 deadline, the Apex court had directed the Odisha government to collect penalties with 12-per cent interest from the defaulters.
Meanwhile, the Mining Owners Association leader Subodh Mohanty said that all the defaulting mine lease holders would make payment within 60 days of the notice period.