Odisha government fixes hefty penalty for release of vehicles seized in illegal mining cases

The state government has also prepared a standard operating procedure for realisation of compensation towards environmental and ecological damage for illegal mining.
Vehicle in mining activities
Vehicle in mining activities(Photo | Express)
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BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to impose hefty penalty for release of vehicles, equipment and excavators seized for illegal extraction or transportation of minor minerals in consonance with the guidelines of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

As per a recent notification issued by the Steel and Mines department, the highest penalty of Rs 4 lakh will be imposed for release of vehicles/equipment/excavators with showroom value of more than Rs 25 lakh and less than five-year-old.

The seized minor minerals will be released after realisation of the penalty amount as stipulated. The realisation cost of the seized minor minerals as per the prevailing rules will be decided taking into account the basic rate of materials stipulated in the latest schedule of rate (SOR) published by the Works department which is in force.

The state government has also prepared a standard operating procedure for realisation of compensation towards environmental and ecological damage for illegal mining.

“The compensation towards environmental and ecological damage for illegal extraction and transportation will be recovered for the seized minor minerals. The compensation amount will be determined at 3.33 times the value of seized minor minerals. The value of the minerals will be decided as per latest SOR for all minor minerals including sand,” the notification stated.

The fine amount has been fixed at Rs 3 lakh to get the seized vehicles/equipment with showroom value of more than Rs 25 lakh and more than five years but less than 10 years old, released. A fine of Rs 2.5 lakh will be imposed on vehicles or equipment with showroom value of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh and less than five-year-old.

Similarly, the penalty amount is Rs 2 lakh for vehicles or equipment with showroom value of more than Rs 25 lakh and over 10-year-old or value of Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh and more than five-year-old or value of less than Rs 10 lakh and less than five years.

A fine ranging between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 50,000 has been fixed on vehicles/equipment or excavators depending on their cost and year of purchase.

The NGT had earlier recommended recovery of Rs 42.45 crore penalty and environmental compensation of Rs 1.2 crore from a private construction company for illegal extraction of morrum and laterite for construction of earth bed for the third line railway track from Bhadrak to Nirgundi.

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