By Our Correspondent
JODA/BARBIL/BHUBANESWAR: KN Ram Mines Group under ED scanner. Enforcement Directorate (ED) personnel raided the mines and two offices of M/S KN Ram, a mines owner of Barbil . Sources revealed that the raids continued till Thursday. KN Ram &Co retained it’s the Roida II iron mines at a presidium of 90.90 percent in last mining auction. The Roida-II block has iron reserve of 27.188 million tonnes.
This is the third consecutive ED raid on the mines owners under Joda mining circle. Before this, there was a raid on KJS Alluwalia mines and then Kanshvi International of Debabrata Behera who has bagged the Siljora – Kalimati iron block at a highest premium of 154 per cent.
Sources close to ED revealed that some mines owners were alleged to be involved in bungling their stock in the mines with figure of the book. There are also allegations that some of them were obtaining goods permit pass from the mining office for despatch of low grade materials but actually, they were dispatching high grade materials causing huge loss to the Government. After this raid, there is a sense of fear in the mining sector of Joda and Barbil.
Reports from Joda, Barbil and Koira ranges said, Roida – II Iron Ore Mines under Joda Division of Odisha’s mineral rich Keonjhar district, became hotbed for rampant illegal mining and illegal transportation. Reports said mining activities were going on without requisite forest and environmental clearance. Locals have been opposing the expansion of production capacity from the existing 2.2 million TPA to 3.5 million TPA of Roida-2 iron mines of the Khatau Narbheram and Co situated at Tanto village under Barbil tehsil under Joda division in Keonjhar.
Local in Joda-Barbil in Keonjhar and also in Gundichapada in Dhenkanal alleged that the Atha Group, which runs KN Ram Mines and a plant, severely violating Forest and Environment laws and mines and minerals explorations and transportation acts. The Company, which mostly operates in Odisha and Jharkhand, looted crores of rupees of mines and minerals from Sundargarh-Koenjhar mining belt of Odisha. Besides, the company engaged in two foreign countries including South Africa and Singapore and doing export and import business of minerals and coals.
The Atha Group is being involved in Iron Ore Coal mining, Manufacture of Sponge Iron & Billets and Captive Power Plant, Generation of renewable energy through Wind Mills., Generation of renewable energy through Solar Power Plants, Manufacture of Calcined Petroleum Coke (CPC), Import of Coal/Coke & Export of Iron Ore/Iron Ore fines and International initiatives in Mining and Mineral Resources. Most of which are running illegally while violating many Government provisions and laws.The Group is be led by Kishore Kumar Atha,Dilip Kumar Atha,Gaurav Atha,Vishal Atha and Bharat Atha with many others in Board of Director.
