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Odisha mining scam to rock Assembly session
PNS | Bhubaneswar
Vigilance raids continue on Sirajuddin mines
In a desperate attempt to divert attention from the huge mining scam and the snowballing protests that have been rocking Orissa for the last four months, the BJD Government has summoned all the resources at its command to try and douse the fire before the commencement of the Winter Session of the State Assembly which is scheduled to begin from November 18.
The Opposition is all set to take on the Government and embarrass Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik with details of the scandal that have begun to surface and which indicate rampant corruption.
After the Supreme Court directed the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to conduct an inquiry into charges of environment laws being violated by mining operations, the State Government has constituted a number of committees to check the illegal trading and transportation of minerals.
Steel and Mines Department sources said 2,412 trading licences have been issued over the years. All the licences will be examined by end-December. So far 622 licences have been verified and 482 licences have been either suspended or cancelled.
For the second day on Wednesday, the State Vigilance continued to conduct raids on the iron and manganese mines operated by one of Odisha's biggest mine-owners, Sirajuddin & Co. The special team constituted for this purpose conducted raids on mines at Gurda, iron ore mines at Balada, Keonjhar and other offices of the firm.
Vigilance has roped in officials of the Commercial Tax, Geology, Revenue and Forest Departments to make the raids "effective", claimed an official. "We are doing verification of records, making on-the-spot inquiries of the surface rights area, forest land and also inquiring into the forest clearance report in connection with mining of manganese and iron ore," said Vigilance Superintendent of Police Debadutta Patnaik, adding that 16 teams have been constituted for the raids.
Verification of records is being done in the offices of the Divisional Forest Officer, Deputy Director of Mines, Office of Keonjhar Collector, Keonjhar RTO and other places in Keonjhar district relating to the illegal mining activities of Sirajuddin & Company to ascertain the extent of violation of licence conditions. "We will also question senior officials if their involvement is found in allowing them to do illegal mining," said Patnaik.
On Tuesday, Vigilance conducted raids on the offices and mines of Sirajuddin & Co at various places, including in Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. The premises of the chartered accountant of the firm, Uttam Mohapatra, at Bapujinagar in Bhubaneswar were also raided.
Apart from these raids, verification of records relating to illegal mining, transportation and evasion of sales tax by Sirajuddin & Co is being done at six places in Bhubaneswar. These include the office of the Director of Mines, Odisha State Pollution Control Board, office of Alliza Iron and Steels, Bhimatangi, Bhubaneswar, Alliza International Private Limited at Ganganagar, Bhubaneswar, business premises of Yazdin International Private Limited in Bhubaneswar and the residence of Sirajuddin at IRC Village in the city. The firm's head office in Kolkata has also been raided.
In order to answer the Opposition's charges on the mining scam during the Winter Session of the Assembly, the Steel and Mines Department has constituted a number of task forces to suggest measures on how to check illegal mining. "We have formed various committees to check evasion of taxes and illegal transportation of minerals," said Secretary, Steel and Mines, Ashok Dalwai.
However, the State Government is bound to come under severe attack for its failure to arrest the big fish who were involved in the mining scam. The Government is yet to arrest the owners of Rambahadur Thakur Limited which has been involved in the smuggling of iron ore to the tune of hundreds of crores of rupees.
“The mining scam may touch Rs 10,000 crore. We will certainly raise the issue on the floor of the State Assembly," said BJP legislature party leader KV Singh Deo, adding that "notices are being issued to ghosts and no culprits have been arrested yet".
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