Rourkela/Keonjhar: A four-member Central Empowered Committee (CEC), appointed by the Supreme Court, reached Barbil mining circle in the adjacent Keonjhar district on Saturday for spot verification of some mines, which were allegedly involved in illegal mining operations.
Before submission of its report, the CEC team is likely to visit some of the nine controversial mines in Keonjhar. Next, the CEC team will visit the adjacent Koida mining sector in Sundargarh district where it might undertake spot verification of the JN Patnaik Mines and mines of Arian Mining Traders’ Corporation (AMTC).
The team is led by PV Jayakrishna and rest three members are M K Muthu, Mahindra Vyas and SK Patnaik.
Sundargarh Collector Bhupendra Singh Poonia said the team members are scheduled to visit Koida on Monday and all necessary support would be extended to the them. Mining authorities in the two districts have made necessary arrangements.
Koida-based Deputy Director of Mines (DDM), Mihir Senapati, said all necessary documents were earlier submitted to the CEC.
Earlier, members of the MB Shaw Commission on illegal mining had thrice visited Keonjhar district and Sundargarh on two occasions in their course of investigation following allegations of illegal mining operations.