Odisha High Court order over illegal bauxite mining 

The Court expected the Secretary of the department to consider and dispose of the representation which Bag had filed on April 19, 2018.
For representational purposes ( File Photo | AFP)
For representational purposes ( File Photo | AFP)

CUTTACK:  The Orissa High Court has directed the Secretary, State Mines department to consider and dispose of within six weeks the representation filed by Kodingamali Surakshya Manch to stop illegal mining from Kodingamali bauxite mines in Laxmipur area of Koraput district.The division bench of Chief Justice KS Jhaveri and Justice KR Mohapatra issued the direction while disposing a PIL filed by Kodingamali Surakshya Manch president Pradeep Kumar Bagh on August 7, 2018.

The Court expected the Secretary of the department to consider and dispose of the representation which Bag had filed on April 19, 2018. After it yielded no result, Bag had turned to the High Court. Bag had sought a probe by the State CID-Crime Branch or CBI into illegal excavation and transportation from the bauxite mine. He had also sought direction for early disposal of the representation.

The Bench in its order said, “Considering the limited nature of grievance and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the Secretary of Mines and Mineral department, Odisha, Bhubaneswar to consider and dispose of the representation of the petitioner dated April 19, 2018 in accordance with law within a period of six weeks from the date of receipt of certified copy of the order.”

The order was issued on December 18, 2019, but its copy was available only a day ago. The petition had alleged that Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) had entrusted mining operation for extracting of bauxite to a private party without conducting Gram Sabha or Palli Sabha for Kodingamali mines.

Acting on it, the Court had on January 25, 2019 issued notices to the Secretary the department seeking a reply within four weeks. But no reply was received till December 18, the day on which the Court decided to dispose of the petition taking into consideration only the petitioner’s April 19, 2018 representation.

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