The State BJP on Thursday demanded CBI probe into the multi-crore mining scam in the State as per the recommendation of the Shah Commission under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court to unravel the evil deeds of the ruling BJD in the State and Congress- led UPA Government at the Centre.
Addressing a Press conference here at the State party headquarters, senior BJP leader and former Minister Biswabhushan Harichandan said that the Justice Shah Commission report had exposed an unwritten agreement between the BJD and the Congress to loot the
minerals and the State exchequer in broad daylight as far as the mining scam was concerned.
Welcoming the report, Harichandan said that the Commission had stated very unambiguously about the unholy nexus between the Congress and the BJD and how their partnership had robbed the State of lakhs of crores of rupees by way of revenue.
Harichandan said the Commission described the mining scam in the State as a calculated crime and hence, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik could not shift his responsibility by simply stating that the matter was being investigated by the State Vigilance Department. Since the Vigilance Department is directly under the Chief Minister, a free and fair investigation can hardly be expected, he said and demanded that there should be a CBI probe under the supervision of the apex court and the Chief Minister should resign on moral grounds.
The BJP leader said while 50 per cent of mines in the State were operating without environmental clearance, 75 per cent of the leesees had exploited resources beyond their assigned territories.
There are as many as 56 mines which have carried out their operation in wild life sanctuaries, he asserted.
Besides, he said that as many as 221 mines were being operating under the ‘deemed to be extension’ clause, which was the root of all the loots of minerals and illegal mining. The BJP veteran also questioned as to why the Commission report had not been placed before the Cabinet although the Commission had submitted its report five months back.