Keonjhar: The District Magistrate’s court here started proceedings against defaulting firms involved in illegal mining Saturday. The mines department had registered certificate cases against some defaulting mining companies, following which the court has issued notices to the firms.
It may be recalled, the Supreme Court had ordered recovery of penalty from scores of errant mining companies across the state. Later, the state government had directed the steel and mines department to file cases against these firms.
About 52 mines in Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Sundargarh districts have not paid fines. Of them, 23 mines are in Keonjhar. Notices have been issued to 20 firms under Joda mining circle and three under Keonjhar mining circle. A penalty of about Rs 62,000 crore will be collected from errant mining firms, it was learnt.
The defaulting mines included TB Lal (Jajang Iron Mine), Sharda Mines (Thakurani Block), Malaray and Others (Jalhari and manganese mines), HG Pandya and Others (Jajang mine and manganese mine), Mid East Integrated Steel Ltd (Roida-1 iron mine), Basudev Agrawal (Urumunda iron mine), SC Padhi (Bansapani iron mine and manganese mine), Arjun Lodha mine (Balagunda iron mine and manganese mine), OMDC mine(Bhadrasahi iron and manganese mines), Gitanjali Mohanty (Raikela iron mine), TB Lal (Kasia-Barpada iron mine), DS Pradhan (Baitarani and Balita iron mines), Gandhamardan Sponge plant (Putulupani iron mine), Tarini Minerals (Nuagan manganese mine), OMDC (Roida-Bhadrasahi iron mine), SC Padhi (Gurubeda iron mine), BPML (Thakurani mine), OMDC (Bagiaburu mine), OMDC (Belkundi iron and manganese mines), SD Sharma (Belgundi iron and manganese mines), Bhanj Minerals (Ingajharan iron and manganese mines), Kunal Kishore Das (Deojhar mine), Narayani Sons (Laupada mine), Mineral Trading Syndicate (Bhulbeda iron mine), Facor (Katasahi manganese mine), SN Dasmohapatra (Kolharoida manganese mine) and BD Patnaik (Kalaparbat iron mine).
If the mining firms fail to pay fine and submit satisfactory replies within a month, then notices will be served on the firms, seeking why their assets should not be confiscated.
Lawyers said that as per legal provision, the tehsildars will be asked to attach properties of the mining firms and deposit the penalty with the government.
PNN
