ROURKELA: Mining officials reportedly raided the GVPR mines in Sundargarh district on Wednesday over allegations of high-grade iron ore being dispatched as low-grade material, causing loss to the state exchequer.
A team of officials visited the GVPR iron ore mines in Koida mining circle (KMC) and reportedly halted all operations. Transport vehicles were also removed from the site. However, further details of the inspection were not immediately available.
Downplaying the development, Koida deputy director of mines Asit Behera described it as a routine inspection and confirmed that samples were collected for laboratory testing.
Sources said the ground-breaking ceremony of GVPR mines was held in August 2025. Mineral extraction began about a month back but was suspended after nearly three weeks of operation due to technical and other issues. Mining activities had resumed only on Tuesday. Around 32,000 tonne of iron ore have been dispatched from the mines so far.
It was alleged that officials of GVPR mines were involved in dispatching high-grade iron ore under the guise of low-grade material, resulting in a significant royalty loss to the state exchequer.
As per the Odisha Directorate of Mines Lessee Report portal, GVPR Engineers Ltd holds the lease for ‘Koira Iron Ore Mines’, covering an area of 90.14 hectare. However, no additional information is available in the public domain, and the company’s official website does not mention the Koida mines.
In September 2024, CBI officials had raided Barsuan iron mines of the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) in KMC and seized incriminating documents. The CBI raid came after RSP’s internal vigilance found that unscrupulous mining officials had sold huge quantities of iron ore from March to May 2023 at lower prices.
