By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 4, 2017: The Odisha government on Monday served demand notices to 152 mining leaseholders for the collection of fine in connection with illegal mining.

The leaseholders, who have been served notices in accordance of the August 2 direction of the Supreme Court, have been asked to deposit the fine amount on or before December 31 this year.

“We have despatched the revised notices on miners complying with the Supreme Court. Other demand notices relating to violations of mining plan, consent to operate and Forest (Conservation) Act are being worked out and will be issued shortly”, said state steel & mines minister Prafulla Mallick.

Malik said, the demand notice for EC violations is according to the figure worked out by the apex court appointed central empowered committee (CEC).

Mining companies in dock include Tata Steel, Essel Mining & Industries Ltd, Indrani Patnaik, Rungta Mines, Serajuddin & Company and even state run entities like Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).

In its order dated August 2, the Supreme Court (SC) called for the recovery of 100 per cent compensation in lieu of the excess ore lifted.

Disposing of a writ petition filed by Common Cause in a case of rampant illegal mining in Odisha, the apex court ruled that there can be no compromise on the quantum of compensation that should be recovered from any defaulting lessee – it should be 100 per cent. The CEC had advocated recovery of 30 per cent of the cost of production as compensation.

The SC order held that the compensation figure should be the one rationalized by CEC. For excess ore production over the limits approved under environment clearance, the penalty by CEC has been worked out at Rs 17576.17 crore. The court has also directed the ore excavated illegally in violation of Forest (Conservation) Act and beyond the limits approved set in the mining plan prepared by Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) and consent to operate awarded by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB).