Odisha Orders closure of 7 working mines for nonpayment of dues

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government has ordered closure of 7 working iron ore mines today after expiry of the deadline set by the Honble Supreme Court yesterday. Those mines include, State PSU run IDCOL Roida C, ESSEL’s Koira, Mideast Roida, Serajuddin Co’s Balda, National Enterprises Korp Resources OMMPL Patabeda.

While State PSU, Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) deposited penalties, IDCOL failed to deposit the amount, for which the working mines at Roida C has been asked to closed down.

As per the Supreme Court of India direction, the State Government collected the fine from leaseholders as compensation towards illegally extracted iron and manganese ore between 2000-01 and 2010-11.  As on 31 December, 2017, a total of Rs.8223 Crore has been received by the State Government.  A total of 46 working mines had been asked to pay the fine, while some of them defaulted, said sources. The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), appointed by the Apex Court to probe illegal mining in the State, had calculated a collection of Rs 17,500 crore fine from leaseholders.

The State Government will submit a Status Report on fine collection before the Supreme Court by 4 January. Next hearing of the case has been fixed by the Apex Court is on 17 January, 2018, said sources