The Odisha government has moved for property attachment 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.
Six lessees
The lessees are Shive Dutt Sharma, BPME Limited, Naryani Sons, Basudev Agarwal, B.K. Mohanaty and Orissa Minerals Development Company Limited.
The six lessees, who were operating mines in Keonjhar district, had not paid penalty amounting to ₹1,977.27 crore. Proceedings against them 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 ₹17,576.17 crore compensation. So far, mining companies have paid penalties amounting to ₹14,800 crore.
Issued notices
“Lessees were issued notice to pay penalty. Some have paid and some have not. After due process and case confirmation, I have issued orders for attachment of property of six defaulters. There are other cases which would be take up after completion of court procedure,” said Ashish Thakare, Keonjhar District Magistrate, over the phone on Saturday.
An estimated 215.5 million tonnes of iron and manganese ore were extracted illegally in Odisha between 2000-01 and 2010-11.
