The Odisha Janaadhikar Parishad (OJP), a social organisation, on Saturday urged the Central Government to order CBI probe into the mega mining scam in Odisha considering the recommendation for it by the Shah Commission.
Addressing reporters at a State-level convention organised by the OJP here, its president Bijay Kumar Parida said the State Government failed to check the massive loot of minerals for eight consecutive years from 2003 to 2011. Due to illegal mining, the State lost heavy amounts of revenue and forestlands, he pointed out.
Parida said the State Vigilance police have failed to inquire into such a big scam; so the Centre has to take initiative to probe it. A CBI probe has not been effected due to lack of mass movement, the opposition parties’ suspected roles and a secret understanding between the State and the Central governments, he said.
The Shah Commission report has already been tabled in Parliament, but the CBI probe demand has not gathered steam due to a weak Opposition in the lok Sabha, he said.“We can’t wait for the Central Government’s stand in this issue anymore. We will stage a dharna before Parliament demanding a CBI probe into the scam,” said Parida.
Among others, intellectuals like former DGP AB Tripathy, trade union leader Ajeya Rout, journalists Pradyumna Satpathy and Rabi Rath, Keonjhar Nagarik Samaj president Kiran Sahu and youth leaders Dillip Mallick and Amiya Pandav were present.