The BJP on Tuesday alleged that the State Government has issued notices for collection of mining penalties of Rs 17,567 crore instead of Rs 59,000 crore in order to protect illegal mines’ owners.
“While the Narendra Modi Government has taken initiatives by in increasing mines royalty, putting auction system for mines and creating Mineral Development Fund, the Chief Minister is protecting unscrupulous mines owners instead of protecting the State exchequer,” alleged party vice-president Sameer Mohanty at a Press meet here.
He said the State Government had issued notices for collection of penalties of rs 59,000 crore in 146 illegal mining cases in the year 2013 and this was mentioned in the Supreme Court’s order point No 49, he said.
However, the mining activities without forest approval were not included in the estimation made by the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowerment Committee (CEC). The State Government wrongly examined the SC order knowingly and limited its penalty estimation at Rs 17,000 crore instead of Rs 59,000 crore, for which it had issued notice earlier, to protect the illegal mine lessees.
Mohanty wanted to know why the State Government doesn’t approach the Supreme Court for collection of Rs 59,000 crore, which was estimated earlier.
He alleged that the BJD had collected extortion from mines owners before 2014 elections by issuing notices. “Money transfer from the India Ideas Account or Bhubaneswar SBI Main Branch Account No 100918055 73 to the BJD account is still under suspicion,” he said.
He said the BJP is holding agitations in the most-affected Keonjhar district and would soon make it a mass movement in the State to bring this mega mining scam to the knowledge of the people.
Stating that MP Pinaki Mishra and lawyer Ashok Parija are lawyers of mines owners in the Supreme Court, Mohanty alleged that they are also acting as links between the Chief Minister and the unscrupulous mining owners.
Among others, State Secretary Kalandi Samal and spokesperson Sajjan Sharma were present.