Excess mining in Nayagarh: Rs 24 crore penalty imposed on BJD leader Benudhar Pradhan

The Mining officer-cum-Competent-Authority (Minor Mineral), Nayagarh has imposed a fine of Rs 24 crore on the lessee Benudhar Pradhan, a BJD MLA for carrying out excess mining at Kasia stone quarry under Bhapur Tahsil in Nayagarh district.

The penalty has been imposed over alleged illegal mining at the quarry in the form of mining beyond the lease area and more than the limit prescribed in the mining plan. The Mining officer has also imposed BNSS 163 in the quarry.

Earlier, OTV had telecast a report in connection with the irregularities in July this year.

A team from Bhubaneswar conducted a joint inspection that showed excess mining by Pradhan. He has been penalized with Rs 21.46 crore including TCS and penalty for outside lease area and Rs 2.74 crore for inside lease area excess wining of stone gross amounting to Rs 24.21 crore.

The Mining Officer directed him to deposit the said amount only before October 20.

“We have booked a case for violation of the Odisha Forest Act and Indian Forest Act. Beyond that we have also booked a case under the Mining Act for excess volume extraction,” informed Khyama Sadangi, Nayagarh Divisional Forest Officer.

When contacted, Bharat Kumar Behera, PRO, SS Construction Company said, “The case is currently in the High Court. So, we do not want to make any comments as the case is pending. We have high trust in the top court and will surely get justice. They have just written in one line that we will have to pay Rs 24 crore. They have not given any details.”

No comments could be obtained from Pradhan in this regard.