By Our Correspondent
JODA/BARBIL/KOIRA/ROURKELA: Call it free run for ‘Ahluwalia Brothers’ in Odisha’s Mining Zone of mineral rich Sundargarh and Keonjhar. With Mining lease is expiring by March 31, 2010, Ahluwalia Brothers read, Kamaljit Singh Ahluwalia and Prashant Ahluwalia running from Joda-Barbil to Koira-Bonai and Bhubaneswar to New Delhi to keep their lease. A total of 288 mineral blocks are lapsing by March 31, 2020. Of this, 59 are working mines including 31 in Odisha.
Since last 15 years, Ahluwalia Brothers looted minerals worth crorers of rupees. The twin brothers were also under CBI scanner over Coal scam. Apart from Mines and Plants in Odisha, Ahluwalia Brothers also running a sponge iron factory at Satna in Madhya Pradesh.
Both Kamaljit and Prashant Ahluwalia running KJSA Mines, Kaypee Enterprise Pvt Ltd and Hima Ispat Pvt Ltd based in Keonjhar-Sundargarh range of Odisha. Apart from iron ore and manganese mines in Joda and Koira mining circles, Alhuwalias owns a sponge iron factory and a mining crusher unit. Besides, Kamal Sponge Steel & Power Ltd based at Satna-Madhya Pradesh with interests in sponge iron production and iron ore mining have applied for coal blocks in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Earlier, rampant illegal mining reported from Thakurani and Nuagaon iron ore mines owned by Ahluwalia family. Alhuwalia had been in dock for violation of Rule 37 of Mineral Concession Rules- 1960.
KJS Ahluwalia has the lease right for Nuagaon and Panduliposi mines in Joda circle while Kaypee Enterprise, where Prashant Ahluwalia holds a key position, owns the Thakurani mines in the same area.
“Both Kamaljit Singh Ahluwalia and Prashant Ahluwalia have been using local and political influence to carry out their illegal activities and CBI should properly investigated twin Brothers business in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh,” said a local activists’ in Koira in Sundargarh.
“CBI, IT, ED, State Vigilance, all raided Ahluwalia Brothers networks but no tangible action has been taken so far,” said a local resident in Joda in Keonjhar. They came and looted and now running freely, he added.
A senior officials in Odisha Steel and Mines Department however assured that, stern action will be taken if further report of illegal mining found in Keonjhar and Sundargarh. Let’s wait for new auction of mines , he added.
“We have made significant strides in making our lapsable blocks ready for auctions. 25 of the 29 operative iron ore mines will be fully geared up for auctions. We are keeping the mines ministry informed on the steps being taken and awaiting their directions to prepare the ground for auctions”, said an Odisha government source.
