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Bhubaneswar: The state government will auction 16 mineral blocks after it receives due approval from the Centre, steel and mines minister Prafulla Mallik said here Tuesday.
“We will auction 16 mineral blocks including 10 iron ore mines by March 2019. In fact, we will auction a few mines in December itself. We have requested the Centre to ease limitations on blocks and they have agreed to it. However, an official order to this effect has not come to us so far,” Mallik told reporters.
Once the Centre approves the proposal, the mines will be put for auction, the minister said. The state government had appealed to the Centre to increase the permissible limits from 10 sq km to 75 sq km. “These mines can be put on auction despite Delhi High Court’s stay on auction of two mineral blocks,” he said. In May, the Delhi High Court barred the state government from proceeding with the e-auction of Chandiposhi and Purheibahal iron ore blocks in Sundargarh district, scheduled for May 5 and 8.
Asked about cancellation of the lease deed of iron and manganese miners who have not paid the fine imposed by the Supreme Court, the minister said, “31 people have not paid the fine. Out of these, six were cancelled while 25 got stay orders.”
District Collectors have been asked to initiate certificate case against the defaulters to collect fines. The exercise has already begun. On the fate of the six mines, Mallick said they would be auctioned following the normal procedure if there are no legal impediments.