Bhubanewar: Iron mines in Odisha escape fines worth hundreds of crores, according to a new report. Odisha's Steel and Mines Secretary has recommended recovery of revenue from excess mining from all 198 mines. Union Mining Ministry has told the Odisha government that states cannot make recovery from mine owners. CNN-IBN had exposed excess mining by 3 major companies - Indrani Patnaik Mines, Sirajuddin Mines and Rungta Mines.
A year ago, a CNN-IBN Investigation had shown how major mines in Odisha that had been chargesheeted for violating mining laws were operating with impunity. Now CNN-IBN finds that the Union Mines Ministry may have tweaked mining laws to ensure that the illegal mining cartel in Odisha does not pay any massive recovery fines.
In 2011, CNN-IBN exposed a decade-long iron ore mining scam in Odisha's Keonjhar district showing how B Prabhakaran, MD of Triveni Earth Movers had illegal control over 10 major iron ore mines in Keonjhar, enjoying political patronage.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik promised stern action. The Justice Shah Commission observed that bureaucrats were involved and the role of politicians needed probing. But a year later the 3 major mines exposed by CNN-IBN - Indrani Patnaik Mines, Sirajuddin Mines and Rungta Mines - are doing business as usual. In fact, all 198 mines that have violated laws have been untouched....
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06:25 PM, Nov 01, 2012
