New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday asked the Industrial Development Corporation of Orissa Ltd (IDCOL) to pay additional penalty for violating its earlier verdict directing to make penalty payments for illegal mining in the state latest by December 2017.
The case pertaining to deferred payments by illegal miners came up for hearing before a two-judge bench of the apex court comprising Justice Madan Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta Tuesday. The bench asked IDCOL to pay additional penalty at the rate of 12 per cent for the days exceeding the set deadline as mandated by the apex court in its August 2017 judgement on illegal mining. IDCOL reportedly paid the specified penalty as per the CEC estimates, but delayed paying the penalty levied on it. Consequently, an additional fine was levied on it by the apex court Tuesday.
IDCOL is, however, free to continue its mining operations after paying the dues as per the Supreme Court order. During the hearing, the state government was also asked to collect the specified dues from the miners as re-calculated jointly by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the state government.
The court also authorised the state government to take measures as per the law against the defaulting miners.
The CEC had submitted its fourth report January 17 regarding the status of compliance of the apex court judgment, which was submitted before the bench Tuesday. The state government, meanwhile, submitted two affidavits presenting its stand twice this month. While the first affidavit was submitted January 16, another was tendered January 29. On the other hand, the IDCOL made its submissions on payments January 15.
In its court order December 13 last year, the bench had reiterated its stand on dues when it had said, “We make it absolutely clear that the mining lease holders must pay compensation and/or other dues/ penalty by virtue of the Judgment dated 02.08.2017 on or before 31.12.2017. If the demanded amounts are not paid on or before 31.12.2017, the state of Orissa shall close the mining operations of that mining lease holder.”
PNN
