The district administration on Monday filed chargesheets against six persons, including CMD of Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), in the Jajpur Road Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court for allegedly taking up mining activities in the Daitari iron mines without environment clearance.
Advised by the District Environment Approval Committee Chairman and Jajpur district Collector, Sub-Collector Maheswar Panigrahi filed the chargesheets in the court through Government lawyer Maheswar Panigrahi. The court is believed to have accepted the chargesheets, sources said.
Apart from OMC CMD, names of Daitari iron ore mine’s AGM, DGM, Deputy Manager and Assistant Manager have been mentioned in the chargesheets.The district administration had issued show-cause notices against a dozen of mining companies, including OMC, for alleged violation of environmental laws.
Earlier, green and environment activists had leveled charges that there is flagrant repudiation of environment laws in mining operations being carried out in Japur district.“The companies have been asked to reply within two months as to why the prosecution should not be initiated against them for the violations. If the compliance report is not found factual, criminal proceedings would be initiated against the erring mining operators. So far, the district administration has issued notices to 12 mining lessees, including four OMC operators, for indulging in illegal mining,” said district Collector Anil Kumar Samal.
The administration is keeping close vigil on mining units in operation in Jajpur district. Violation of environment law would be sternly dealt with, he said, adding that an administrative probe instituted in this regard has found that there had been illegal mining for the last so many years without the mandatory environment clearance.
Violation of laws has also been detected in four mines managed by the OMC in Sukinda and Daitari areas. The other companies found operating without mandatory environmental clearance include Balasore Alloys, Ferro Alloys Corporation limited (FACOR), Misrilal Mines Private limited, BC Mohanty and Sons, Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO), Jindal Chromites Mines limited and Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys (IMFA), official sources said.
According to information, a total of 27, 28, 8599.880 metric tonnes of minerals from 13 chromite and iron ore mines were illegally excavated during 2000-01 and 2011-12.
The district administration has also filed case against the officials of the State owned Nilachal steel plant in Kalinganagar industrial area on the charges of illegally releasing effluents into the water bodies of Ganda river.
“A large number of riverside villagers complained before the district administration recently that the authorities of Neelachal steel plant by violating all the environment norms have been discharging effluents of the steel plant into the river for which the Danagadi Tehsildar visited the affected villages of Ranakundi, Olala, Trijanga, Khapuriapada, Kumbharagadia, Jahapur and other villages and listened to the grievances of the people and submitted a report.
As per the spot report, the district administration filed a case under Section- 133 (Public Nuances) under Criminal Procedure Code (CrPc ) against the steel plant,” said Jajpur Sub Collector Maheswar Panigrahi.