Illegal mining: Notice issued to 7 leaseholders to stop operations

Bhubaneswar: The State Mines department today issued notice to seven mine leaseholders to stop operations as they failed to pay fine by December 31, deadline fixed by the Supreme Court, said Mines director Pradeep Mohanty.

A total 131 leaseholders had been asked to pay penalty. Of them 72 mine leaseholders including owners 42 working mines paid the fine, he added.

The State government will submit the status report on fine collection to the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) appointed by the SC in two to three days, Mohanty informed.

Next hearing of the case has been fixed for January 17.

The State government collected the fine from leaseholders as compensation towards illegally extracted iron and manganese ore between 2000-01 and 2010-11.

A total of Rs 8,223 crore fine was reportedly collected from mine leaseholders. The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), appointed by the apex court to probe illegal mining in the State, had calculated a collection of Rs 17,500 crore fine from leaseholders.

The apex court had directed the State government to recover 100 per cent compensation compared to 30 per cent recommended by the CEC on August 2.

In compliance with the Supreme Court order, the State government had raised a demand notice for environment clearance violations on 131 iron and manganese ore leeses.

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