NGT orders fresh probe by Khurda DM into ‘illegal’ laterite mining

Cuttack: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a fresh inquiry by the Khurda district magistrate into alleged illegal laterite stone mining by a lessee at Bariko and Ramchandrapur areas under Tangi tehsil and sought a report within four weeks.
NGT's east zone bench in Kolkata issued the order on March 3 after expressing dissatisfaction over the inquiry report submitted by the district magistrate and collector, Khurda, as it had neither addressed the allegation about illegal mining prior to grant of consent to operate (CTO) nor quantified the actual volume of minor minerals extracted from the 2.173-acre quarry area. The next date of hearing is May 23.
The tribunal had constituted an inquiry committee on a petition which had alleged that illegal quarrying in the form of excess mining is being carried out by the lessee. Madhusudan Palai and other residents of nearby areas filed the petition.
When the matter was taken up for hearing on March 3, advocates Sankar Prasad Pani and Ashutosh Padhy, appearing on behalf of the petitioners, pointed out that the contents of inspection report itself give evidence that illegal mining was carried out by the lessee much prior to the grant of CTO by the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) on Jan 5, 2023, but the report had left it unaddressed.
Taking note of it, the bench comprising Justice B Amit Sthalekar (judicial member) and Arun Kumar Verma (expert member) in its March 3 order said, "The district magistrate, Khurda shall inquire into the issue and in case it is found that mining has been carried by the lessee prior to Jan 5, 2023, he shall explain in his affidavit as to what action has been taken against the lessee."
The report of the inspection carried out on Nov 5, 2024 had stated that the actual volume of minor mineral excavated will be scientifically calculated by the deputy director of mines, Khurda, with the help of satellite imagery and other relevant documents.
Accordingly, the bench further directed state counsel Aishwarya Dash "to ensure that the director of mines, Khurda, files an affidavit within four weeks in this regard".
The inquiry committee included additional DM (revenue), Khurda, assistant conservator of forests (Khurda), OSPCB regional officer (Khurda), deputy director of mines (Khurda), sub-collector (Khurda), tehsildar (Tangi) and geologist Jagan Behera.