BHUBANESWAR : In a serious indictment of the Naveen Patnaik Government in the multi-thousand crore mining scam, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has established its complicity in the massive illegal mining to the tune of more than `17,500 crore.
In its 178-page final report submitted to the Supreme Court on Friday, the CEC said at least 2,131 lakh tonnes of iron ore and 24 lakh tonnes of manganese ore have been mined either without environmental clearance (EC) or beyond the permitted areas of the mining leases in Odisha between 2000-01 and 2010-11.
The total notional value of the minerals produced without environmental clearance stands at a whopping `17,091 crore for iron ore and `484 crore for manganese ore.
The CEC report noted that at least 14 lessees produced more than 50 lakh tonnes iron ore and manganese ore without or in excess of environmental clearances, while nine of them mined between 25 lakh tonnes and 50 lakh tonnes iron and manganese ores without valid clearances. The companies involved in illegal mining include the who’s who of the industry __ from State’s own Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) to TISCO, Essel Mining, Sharda Mines, KJS Ahluwalia, Serajuddin, RP Sao, BPME, Patnaik Minerals, MISL, BICO and OMDC, Rungta and Rungta Sons et al.
Similarly, as many as 13 lease-holders produced between 10 lakh tonnes and 25 lakh tonnes while 36 lessees produced at least up to 10 lakh tonnes of iron and manganese ores in violation of the clearances.
The state-owned corporations came in for special flak by the CEC which said, “The OMC is a major violator and heads the pack.” The Government of India undertakings and companies belonging to well known corporate groups figure prominently in the list of violators, it added.
The CEC report, which is set to create fresh trouble for the Odisha Government, said the mining operations in Odisha have been undertaken practically by all the lessees without environmental clearance and or in excess of the ECs.
“It is most disturbing to note that the entire production without or in excess of the statutory approvals has been transported under Transit Permits (TPs) issued by the officers concerned of the State Government and that too after payment of royalty at the applicable rates,” the report said, indicating how the Government was hand-in-glove with the violators.
“The senior officers of the State Government, from the Chief Secretary downwards, cannot escape responsibility for such wholesale and brazen violation of the Acts, rules and guidelines and the directions of apex court and also points towards lax governance,” it added.
The CEC recommended that 30 per cent of the notional value of iron and manganese ores mined in excess of their permits may be recovered from each of the violator within three months, but with the condition that the lessees and errant officers will continue to be liable for action under the provisions of the respective Acts.
The CEC also made a special mention of the Ulliburu mining scam under which about 40 lakh tonnes of iron ore apart from manganese ore, estimated at about `1,776 crore, were illegally mined and transported under the knowledge of government officials.
“The CEC is unable to comprehend how the illegal mining on such a massive scale was allowed to take place and how by issuing TPs, such illegal mineral was allowed to be transported,” the report said.