The Justice MB Shah Commission, probing the mining scam, is likely to make a third visit to the State in the first week of November.
“We have so far verified records of about 80 of the 142 mines during our five days of investigation. The delay is mostly due to involvement of some more complicated mines,” team leader UV Singh told mediapersons after a meeting with Development Commissioner RN Senapati and other senior officers here.
To a query on submitting an interim report on the mining scam in the State to the Centre, Singh said they are yet to complete one aspect of the investigation of all the mines so far. So, there is no point in giving any interim report now, he added.
The commission which had sought records and documents of 186 iron ore and manganese mines in the State, during the second phase of investigation, has also raised questions on the mining activities within 10-km radius of the Similipal bio-reserve.
Singh, principal conservator of forests, Karnataka, said the team would try to complete verification of records of the remaining mines in the next visit.
“We are taking photocopies of records pertaining to certain complicated mines,” Singh said.
Refusing to divulge the commission’s findings, Singh said the team had been looking into different violations under forest, environment (air and water), wildlife, mines and other related laws.
Justice Shah who visited the State in December last, however, was not part of the team this time around.
In the first leg of its visit, the Commission had visited several mines in Keonjhar district.
The second phase was focused on examination of records of mines. The commission may visit some mines during the third visit, sources said.