Fresh show cause notices to mining lessees

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Tuesday issued show cause notices to 151 mining leaseholders for extraction of minerals without forest clearance, violation of approved mining plan and consent to operate mines.The notices were issued as per the August 2 order of the Supreme Court which has directed the State Government to recover the cost of excess minerals by December 31.

Directing the lessees to furnish their views within 10 days, the Deputy Director of Mines of Koira Circle in a letter said, “Considering excess production without lawful authority, the mining companies are noticed to show-cause why they should not pay the sum as directed in the earlier demand notice towards compensation under Section 21(5) of MMDR Act, 1957 for production in excess of the lower of the approved limits under mining plan and consent to operate, in pursuance to the August 2 judgment of the Supreme Court.”

Director of Mines Deepak Mohanty told reporters that the apex court has directed the State Government to recover the cost of mineral extracted without forest clearance, clearance of the Odisha State Pollution Board (OSCB) for operation of mines and in excess of the approved mining plan.Earlier, the State Government had issued demand notices to 152 mines for recovery of `17,576.16 crore towards mining of minerals without environmental clearance (EC).The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) had estimated that 2155.11 lakh tonnes of iron and manganese ore were illegally extracted during 10 years from 2000 to 2010 without EC. The notional value of the minerals was worked out at `17,576.16 crore.

As the cost of minerals extracted without environment clearance (EC) has been worked out by the CEC, the State Government will have to determine the cost of minerals extracted without forest clearance (FC), beyond the approved mining plan and without consent of the Odisha State Pollution Board to operate mines, official sources said.The Eastern Zone Mining Association (EZMA), a body of mining lease holders, has however opposed the show cause notice.General secretary of the association Prabodh Mohanty said, the notice issued is against the spirit of the apex court judgment. The mining companies will take action as per the advice of their legal counsels,he said.