By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, June 23, 2019: The Odisha government will shortly attach property of six iron ore lessees, which had extracted iron and manganese ore beyond the limit approved under environment clearance, for their inability to pay penalty on time.

The lessees are Shive Dutt Sharma, BPME Limited, Naryani Sons, Basudev Agarwal, B.K. Mohanaty and Orissa Minerals Development Company Limited, which have not paid penalty amounting to Rs 1,977.27 crore. So far, mining companies have paid penalties amounting to Rs 14,800 crore.

Proceedings against the defaulting six mining companies were initiated under the Orissa Public Demands Recovery Rules, 1963.

In 2017, the Supreme Court had ordered that mining companies which had extracted iron and manganese ore beyond the limit approved under environment clearance would have to pay Rs 17,576.17 crore compensation.

Officials here said, lessees were issued notice to pay penalty. The Keonjhar district collector has issued orders for attachment of property of six defaulters. There are other cases which would be taken up after completion of court procedure.

An estimated 215.5 million tonnes of iron and manganese ore were extracted illegally in Odisha between 2000-01 and 2010-11.