Odisha likely to start mining area dev programme next fiscal

This was conveyed to a team of the Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) during a meeting here.

The CEC team headed by its member secretary M K Jiwrajka was reviewing the compliance of apex court guidelines with forest and environmental laws in mining areas.

Officials of the Steel and Mines department, Forest and Environment and Revenue departments replied to several questions of the CEC members, official sources said.

CEC members Jiwrajka and Saroj Patnaik were tight-lipped over the review.

However, Odisha's Director of Mines Deepak Mohanty said, "CEC has appreciated the steps taken by the state government. We have informed the CEC about disposal of 115 cases of mining lease renewal in two years."

Of the 351 mining lease renewal cases, 50 mines were operating under the category of deemed renewal status. CEC had earlier suggested clearance of all the mining lease renewal cases including the deemed renewal cases, Mohanty said.

"The state government had already submitted its recommendation for renewal of 40 mines operating under the deemed renewal category," Mohanty said. (MORE)