Citing the recent Supreme Court decision that minerals underneath the soil of private lands belongs to the owner of the land, Lok Shakti Abhiyan, a civil rights organisation, has urged the state government to stop acquiring private lands for mining projects.
"The state government should immediately withdraw the land acquisition orders for mineral bearing private lands following the apex court's order as the minerals except Uranium deposits belong to the owners,'' president of the organisation, Prafulla Samantara told media persons here.
The para 57 of the order reads "we are of the opinion that there is nothing in the law which declares that all mineral wealth sub-soil rights vest in the state, on the other hand, the ownership of sub-soil/mineral wealth should normally follow the ownership of the land, unless the owner of the land is deprived of the same by some valid process."
Samantara demanded withdrawal of notifications for acquiring large scale agricultural lands in Chendipada area in Angul district for excavating of coal for Mahaguj colliery which is being developed by Adani group.
