Joda: The 2009-10 scam in Joda mining circle of Keonjhar district triggered shockwaves in the state. The Justice MB Shah Commission and a Central Empowered Committee conducted a probe and submitted their reports to the Supreme Court. Later, the leaseholders were directed to pay penalties for irregularities in mining, sources said.
However, the leaseholders of mines are yet to pay over Rs 6,000 crore as penalty sources informed Monday. Delay in payment of the amount has seriously affected the development works in the mineral-bearing areas of the district being undertaken by the Odisha Mining Bearing Affected Development Corporation (OMBADC).
Sources from the Mining department said that 68 mining companies were asked to pay over Rs 19,290 crore towards penalties for irregularities in environmental clearance. Out of it close to Rs 14,793 crore has been collected as a penalty. However, some leaseholders are yet to pay Rs 4,497 crore.
Similarly, nine defaulting leaseholders were asked to pay Rs 1,726 crore for irregularities in the Forest Conservation Act out of which Rs 1,725 crore has been collected while Rs 33.52 lakh still is outstanding. A total of 57 leaseholders were directed to pay Rs 2,139 crore for violating in mining rules and consent to operate.
However, only Rs 865 crore has been collected while Rs 1,273 crore remains outstanding. Sources said that the court fixed the penalty on the defaulting miners on the basis of Section-21(5) of Mining Conservation rules, August 28, 2017. The court had slapped the fines for violations in environmental clearance, forest conservation rules, consent to operate, and mining plans. The penalty collected is deposited with OMBADC and used in various development works in the mineral belt. The state government has even filed cases against the defaulting leaseholders for the delay in paying the penalty. The district administration and the Revenue Department are also monitoring the issue.
