Notification likely on reopening of 26 mines

Bhubaneswar: The recommendation of the inter departmental committee on mines which met yesterday under the chairmanship of Development commissioner UN Behera was approved by the chief minister. Basing on the recommendation, the mines department is likely to issue notification over reopening of 26 closed mines today.

The lease holders can operate the mines after making registrations with the required documents, Mines minister Prafulla Mallik said. According to sources, the committee had recommended extension of the lease period up to 2030 for the captive mines and up to 2020 for the non-captive ones in the earlier meeting held on April 4.

The committee had also recommended extension of the lease period of those mines, where the lease conditions have not been violated. The Supreme court had ordered the closure of these 26 mines on May 16 last year. Of these mines, eight were allowed to operate on express order.