Shah Commission team in Odisha for mining lease verification

A team of Justice M B Shah Commission of enquiry arrived here on a five-day visit to Odisha to verify the ongoing survey and demarcation work for 44 mining leases in the state.
"We will oversee the mine lease boundary survey work in Keonjhar and Sundergarh districts besides meeting state government officials here," conservator of forests (Karnataka) Biswajeet Mishra told reporters at the airport.
The two-member team comprises Mishra and Janardan Prasad, senior geologist, Gujarat unit of Geological Survey of India.
The team members will also check the mine map preparation procedure by Odisha Space Application Centre (ORSAC).
Earlier, the commission during its hearing in February had directed the state government to undertake fresh survey of mines lease boundaries after certain lessees raised question on the accuracy of the map prepared by ORSAC.

The mine owners who agreed to take expenses, were allowed for fresh survey. At least 44 mine lessees came forward and exposed their mines lease for verification.
The visiting team members would check if the field verification was carried out in compliance with its guidelines. The two-member team would also check if land use by the mine lessees is in accordance with the forest diversion plan, procedure followed in grant of surface rights to miners and safety measures undertaken by the miners in the safety zone.