Coming down harshly on the Odisha Government over illegal mining activities, the action taken report prepared by a panel of secretaries led by Cabinet Secretary AK Seth on the basis of Justice MB Shah Committee’s findings, has recommended a blanket ban on exports or if possible a cap on production of iron ore, as well as called for grant of mining lease through public auction.
In addition to this, the action taken report (ATR) has also suggested deterrent penal provisions in the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) and also called for evaluation of compensatory afforestation through an independent third party entity in the State.
These suggestions, 12 in all, are in fact a re-emphasis of what Justice Shah has recommended in his five-volume report on illegal mining in the State, which incidentally was laid in Parliament on Monday along with the ATR. The ATR was also finalised on the basis of inputs gathered by the Seth-led Committee of Secretaries (CoS) after deliberations it held over the last month with various related Ministries like Mining, Railways, Environment and Forests, Coal as-well-as Steel.
The Pioneer on February 7, had exclusively reported on the excerpts of the ATR, which was okayed by the Union Cabinet last week. The ATR had especially suggested a CBI investigation into illegal mining in the Joda mining circle, to which the Odisha Government had shown reluctance, claiming that as requisite action had been taken and trial of nine criminal cases had already started and with the trial courts having taken cognisance of the offences, there was no need for an investigation by the agency.
Taking an overall critical view on the illegal mining scenario, the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) led by Seth in the ATR has further recommended a CBI probe into alleged evasion of freight charges in all railway zones, and also sought early recovery of value of illegally extracted iron and manganese ore worth Rs 5,203-crore.
As per the details available with The Pioneer on the meetings the CoS held with various Ministries to finalise the ATR on Shah Commission’s recommendations, the Railway Ministry is said to have suggested that in relation to the alleged acts of freight evasion, 14 companies involved in such malpractice have been identified and notices too have been issued for recovery of punitive damages. On the advice of the Central Vigilance Commission, the case (of freight evasion) has already been handed over to the CBI for a detailed probe, the Railway Ministry informed the CoS.
Deemed refusal in cases, where it is detected that the mining lease has not been renewed within one year, e-auction of extracted iron ore, and criminal action against violators instead of letting them off by allowing them to compensate (the land owners) through afforestation, were the other significant recommendations of the Shah Commission on which the ATR was finalised.
The Government-appointed Justice MB Shah Commission’s report said that most of the mining activity in Odisha between 2008-2011, was carried out with political patronage and defied laid-down rules.