Govt pulls up 9 Joda mines lease holders

Joda: After lease terms of several mines expired, the state government had leased out those to the highest bidders in Joda mining circle of Keonjhar district. Sources said that the government had wanted to ensure 80 per cent of the mineral extraction as prescribed in the environmental clearance, but this is not happening. As a result, the government is losing huge amount of revenue, a report said.

According to the report, the older lease holder used to extract the amount of mineral as approved in the environmental clearance.

For the new lease holders of the mines, the government had determined that they should extract at least 80 per cent of the minerals as approved in their environmental clearances.

But nine of them have failed to achieve the target in the mineral extraction as fixed by the government.

The state government has issued notices to these miners. They are— Thakurani mine owned by Arcellor Mittal India Ltd, Jaribahal and Silijoda mines owned by Kashiv International, Katasahi mine owned by Agression Sponge, Jajanga and Nuagan mines owned by JSW, Roide mine owned by Narvoram Power and the mines owned by Sirajuddin and Jagatjanani.

As mineral extraction and transportation has failed to reach the target, it has badly impacted the revenue generation as expected by the state government from this sector.

It was learnt that the lease holders are unable to deploy necessary workforce and machines in the mines, as a result of which 80 per cent mineral extraction is not being possible.

On the other hand, mines experts pointed out shortcomings in basic infrastructure as a hurdle.

Though mineral extraction is taking place in the mines, mineral transportation is not being carried out in time, because of poor transportation and bad shape of roads in mineral-bearing areas, they observed. Some pointed out that lease holder have deliberately lowered the mineral extraction and transportation. There is some link between falling revenue for the government and more profitability for the lease holders, they alleged.

PNN