NEW DELHI: The Centre may issue show cause notices to companies, including SAIL, Tata Steel, Essel Mining, JSPL and OMC, that hold 75 leases where illegal mining of iron and manganese ores was found by the Shah Commission.
The step would be in addition to legal action being initiated by the Odisha government against firms that carried out mining operations without environmental and other clearances.
The Centre-appointed Justice M B Shah Commission of Inquiry termed 22.56 lakh tonnes of iron and 3 lakh tonne of manganese ore productions by companies holding 75 leases as “illegal”, recommending recovery of ore value from these firms.
As many as 75 firms, including Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL), Tata Steel, Aditya Birla group’s Essel Mining and Industries, Jindal Strips of Jindal Steel and Power Ltd (JSPL) and Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC), have been accused of indulging in “illegal/without any lawful authority” production of ores.
“It is proposed to issue directions to these 75 mining leases for restricting the production of ore to the level specified in the Environment Clearance letters and issue show cause notices for violations,” Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has said in an official document.
“It is also proposed to write to Odisha state government to take credible action against these mine projects under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, as per the facts of the case,” the ministry said. Read more
Courtesy: The Economic Times
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