According to allegations levelled by the BJP MP, the share of low-grade iron ore in 2019-2020 was 23 per cent of ores which increased to 95% in financial year 2021-2022.
She further claimed that the Shah Commission, set up by the Centre in November 2010, gave its report regarding various irregularities including Odisha government’s turning a blind eye to illegal mining in different mines of the State. Following Shah Commission’s report, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of Odisha slapped Rs 65,000 crore penalty on defaulting iron ore and manganese mine owners in the state.
“Though the state government was aware of the scam, it had not paid heed to Shah Commission’s report”, she maintained.
However, private miners and government officials are yet to make their stand on the issue.
Addressing the media, she said, “The Shah Commission stated that the extent of irregularities in the mining sector in Odisha was to the tune of Rs 59,000 crore. It was expected that after Shah Commission’s report, illegal mining in Odisha was out, the state government would make sincere attempts to check irregularities. But the corruption and irregularities, instead of being checked, found new ways under the BJD government."
As soon as day’s business started at 10.30 am, members of both Congress and BJP created pandemonium over the alleged mining scam in the State and demanded Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro to bring an adjournment motion notice by suspending Question Hour to discuss the issue. Unable to transact business, the Speaker adjourned the House till 11.30 am.
Again when the House was about to reassemble at 11.30am, MLAs from both the Opposition parties gheraoed Patro in his chamber. This forced the Deputy Speaker, Rajanikant Singh, to adjourn the House for the second time till 4 pm.
“The Odisha Government is so much neck-deep in mining scam that it is scared to even discuss the issue. We tried to discuss the mining irregularities in the State during the last Assembly session but the government ignored it. This time too, we tried to bring adjournment motion under Rule 58 of the Assembly and suspend Question Hour to discuss the matter. However, the Speaker rejected the proposal,” alleged Congress MLA from Bolangir, Santosh Singh Saluja.
“The State government had awarded mining lease to those who had offered high premiums. The owners had offered 96 percent to 156 percent more premiums for the different mining leases,” added Saluja.
“The Odisha government has a nexus with mines owners and is equally involved in the scam. Therefore, when we tried to rake up the issue during Question Hour, the Speaker completely adjourned the House. We (BJP & Congress MLAs) have gheraoed the Speaker in his chamber and until he agrees to move adjournment motion to discuss the issue, we will not release him,” threatened BJP's Chief Whip, Mohan Charan Majhi.
On the other hand, BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deb criticised the Opposition parties and said, “BJD condemns the move by the members of Opposition parties. This is called shifting of goal post in politics. When a playing team sees that its tactics are not yielding any fruitful result, they immediately change their strategy by shifting their goal post. The Oppositions parties are attempting to do the same,” he added.
On the gherao attempt by the opposition BJP and Congress, Patro said, “Speaker doesn’t represent the govt. S/he is the presiding officer. BJP, Congress and ruling-BJD members had a discussion with me and I had cited the reason for non-acceptance of adjournment motion. I had also told them that they could raise this issue during Zero Hour,” added Patro.
Meanwhile, lambasting Deb over his remarks on ‘changing goalpost’, Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra said, “There were discussions on Mundali barrage, irrigation, paddy procurement and other issues related to farmers and farming in the last two days of the House proceedings. Who is actually changing the goal post? Those who are giving such types of remarks are not eligible to be in the ruling party and it could be that they are trying a change in the Opposition parties. That is why they are giving confusing statements.”
"In an answer to a reporter's question I had said all parties that include Congress also. Why do you feel offended with it?" stated Jena in his letter.
Answering Patnaik's question on why he did not take any action on the issue when he was a Union Minister, Jena said that he was never a mute spectator. To prove his statement he also cited a social media link to Patnaik in the letter.
He further noted CBI probe into mining scam was not possible without the approval of the State government.
In reply to Jena's letter, Patnaik said he is not offended. He stated corruption amounting to crores of rupees has taken place in mining sector and Jena is right in pointing out that no one took any action against mining mafia.
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"Jena stated in his letter that he had tried for a CBI probe on the mining scam. Besides, he stated that he had not targeted me," said Patnaik, adding mass media is trying to create troubles unnecessarily.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Jena in his address to reporters on mining scam issues had claimed that mine looters exist in all political parties including the Congress.
Reacting to Jena’s allegation, Patnaik wanted to know why Jena was silent and didn’t ask for a CBI probe into the mining scam when he was a Union minister.
“Because of such mine looters, Congress is unable to hold ground in the State,” Jena alleged.
He claimed mining scam worth more than Rs 2 lakh occurred in the State in the past 15 years.
The former Union Minister also demanded that the Odisha government should take charge of all the mines in the State.
Countering Jena, another senior Congress leader and former PCC chief Niranjan Patnaik questioned, “Why did Jena not ask for a CBI probe into the mining scam that took place between 2000 and 2011 when he was a Union Minister?”
Taking a jibe at Jena, Patnaik said, “Two kinds of mine looters exist. One, who does explorations illegally and two, those who act as mafia without owning mines. Moreover, He (Jena) must be having the calculations as to how many mine looters exist in which party,” Patnaik stated.
The apex court ruled that the mining companies indicted by the MB Shah Commission will have to pay the fine by December 31, 2017.
The move came after an NGO, Common Cause, filed a PIL in the apex court based on the MB Shah Commission report seeking CBI or SIT enquiry against mining leases operating illegally on Environmental clearance (EC) or Forest clearance (FC) in Odisha. The petition has also asked for penalty costing 100 percent of the mineral cost be recovered from anyone guilty of EC or FC violation.
Speaking to OTV, Naveen Kumar, Counsel appearing for mining companies said “Initially the Odisha government had demanded Rs 61,000 crore for EC violation which was cost of the iron ore. The court has pronounced on the matter saying that the total amount will be recovered from miners but of course calculation will be carried out by state government basing on which miners will have to pay.”
“The Central Empowerment Committee of the apex court had asked for imposition of 30 percent fine but the court has ruled that out. Meanwhile, mining would continue as usual in all the mines that have been cleared. But the court has rejected the pleas for restarting the mines that had their licences cancelled or lease extended,” Kumar said.
Cases in connection with Sarda, Rungta mines have been deferred for two weeks and a separate hearing will be done two weeks later, he added.
Meanwhile, the Odisha government has maintained that it would realise the penalty from the lease holders for excess mining after taking legal opinion on the Supreme Court order.
"We had imposed a fine on the excess production of minerals for mining beyond approved limit. Even though the court has ordered for 100 per cent fine, we have to examine the court order. We will take legal opinion over this. We would recover the amount from the mining companies by December 31," said Mines Director Deepak Mohanty.
He, however, did not disclose what would be the amount to be realised from the lessees. He said the department may revisit the demand notice sent to the mining companies after legal consultation.
Reacting to the court order, Eastern Zonal Mining Association (EZMA) General Secretary Prabodh Mohanty said since out of 187 mines, 102 are closed, the lease holders are not in a position to pay the penalty to the state government.
"We are examining the court order. If required, we may move the Supreme Court and file a review petition in this regard," said Mohanty.
It may be mentioned that the State Vigilance in course of its investigation into over Rs 1800 crore scam in Uliburu mines in Keonjhar district had framed charge sheet against 29 persons of which four persons were arrested and forwarded to the court. While nine persons had managed to obtain advance bail from Orissa High Court, the state government is yet to give permission to the Vigilance to register cases against three officials. They are former Director of Mines Rabindra Narayan Sahu, former Keonjhar DFO Pradip Raj Karat and former Keonjhar ACF Bimal Prasanna Acharya.
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The Special Vigilance Court had later directed the remaining 13 persons to appear before it of which Dipak Gupta, Manas Ranjan Mohanty (Deputy Director, Mines), Satyabrata Rout, BK Mohanty, Rabindra Mohanta, Krutibasa Giri, Jagannath Mishra and RN Sahu have appeared and given a copy of the charge sheet by the court.
The warrant against five remaining persons has been issued as they are yet to appear.
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government rejected the Justice Shah Commission of Enquiry's suggestion for a CBI probe into the multi-crore mining scam in the state.
In its action take report (ATR) on the Shah Commission's findings, the state government said the state vigilance is well equipped to conduct the enquiry.
Sources said in the 57-page ATR the government has argued that CBI is not the lone investigating agency which has the expertise to investigate the cases relating to mining scam and/or violation of Forest, Environment Pollution Control Laws and Arms Act.
Citing reasons such as shortage of logistics or expertise the state vigilance should not be stopped from investigating the matter, the report said.
New Delhi/Kolkata: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today launched simultaneous searches in three states in connection with its money laundering probe in illegal mining of iron-ore scam in Odisha and other states, pegged at about Rs 2,000 crore.
Sources said the searches are being conducted by the Kolkata zonal headquarters of the agency in at least 15 places in Bhubaneshwar, Keonjhar, Rourkela (all in Odisha), Kolkata and Salem and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
"Multiple teams of the agency assisted by local police are conducting the searches. The action is being carried out as part of an FIR registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act," they said.
The sources said the ED Kolkata office took cognisance of the Justice (retd) M B Shah committee report and also the criminal complaints filed by Odisha vigilance department in these cases of illegal iron-ore mining before registering its own FIR.
They said the searches are also being carried out at the premises of Champua (Keonjhar district) MLA Sanatan Mahakud and a woman Congress politician of Odisha against whom ED has slapped charges of money laundering. Among the places being raided by the central agency are Triveni Earthmovers, Sirajuddin & Co and a transport company in which Mahakud is a partner.
The agency is also searching the premises of a Tamil Nadu-based mining operative who was running 'mafia' style iron-ore mining operations in Odisha, they said.
The Odisha vigilance department had registered an FIR against these people and their firms in 2012 and filed a charge sheet against them the next year in the scam pegged at about Rs 2,000 crore, the sources said.
Officials said the operation has been code-named 'Earth' and is expected to carry on till late into the day.
ED has registered a total of three FIRs to probe money laundering instances in illegal iron-ore mining scam in eastern Indian states, the most prominent one being the Uliburu mining case of Odisha.
"Due to chit fund scam, people of the State were duped of Rs 5,000 crore while the Chief Minister of Odisha has handed over Rs 50,000 crore to his friends through the mining scam. If voted to power in Odisha, Congress will ensure that action is taken against those involved in such corruptions will be taken to task and justice is meted out to the people,” said Gandhi.
Slamming PM Narendra Modi, the AICC president said that farmers are committing suicide everyday in the country and the BJP-led government at the Centre has failed to fulfil its promise to end the plight of farmers.
"Modi government did not keep its promises. It made tall claims about farmers' welfare but it neither waived off their loans, nor hiked the minimum support price of paddy," he said.
Gandhi added farmers were also committing suicide in Bargarh as both the BJP-led government at the Centre and the BJD regime in the State have failed to address the problems of the peasants. “Though PM Modi raised farmers' issues in all his speeches, he is not committed towards waiving off farm loans,” he added.
Similarly, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had promised to construct cold storages across Odisha and provide irrigation facilities to farmers. But he has also failed to keep his promises. Most of the youths from Odisha are migrating to other parts of the country in search of work as the State has become the nerve center of unemployment, said Gandhi adding that there were 1.5 lakh government posts, 30,000 school teacher posts and 5,000 medical staff posts are lying vacant in the State.
Gupta's bail applications have been rejected by the high court and the supreme court on multiple occasions.
Arrested in September 2013 for his alleged involvement in misappropriation of about Rs 1,524 crore through illegal mining of iron ore in Uliburu area of Keonjhar between 2004 and 2009, Gupta has been serving time in prison for almost seven years now, barring a one-month interim bail.
Granting the interim bail from October 1 to January 2, 2021, Justice S K Sahoo asked Gupta to furnish cash security of Rs 1 crore in the shape of fixed deposit and bail bond of Rs 2 crore with two local solvent sureties each for the like amount.
Gupta was arrested by Balasore district vigilance sleuths under several sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC, and his first bail application was rejected by the high court in January 2014.
(PTI)
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Opposition leader Pradipta Nayak alleged that few bureaucrats have looted around Rs 1, 00,000 crore from the mining lease. “The state government is also involved in this scam,” Nayak said.
“We have written several letters regarding the matter to the Chief Minister, but to no avail,” Nayak added.
Congress leader Narasingha Mishra also targeted the State Government over the alleged scam.
“The State Government has lost revenues worth Rs 3,600 crore from nine mines in last three years. It amounts to a whooping Rs 1,200 crore losses per year,” Mishra said.
However the ruling party refuted all allegations made by the opposition.
“Opposition is indulged in cheap politics. All these allegations are false and baseless,” stated BJD MLA Pratap Deb.
“Auction of the mines is done according to the directives of the Union Government and the guidelines set by the Supreme Court. Opposition is only beating around the bush rather than presenting fact based allegations before the house,” he retorted.