By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/BARBIL/KOIRA: Information sought though RTI and information supplied by the Odisha Directorate of Mines, as many as 7000 hectors of land has been given for mining activities to 17 mining companies during 2020 lockdown period. These Mining companies were JSW Steel, Patnaik Minerals (P) Ltd,Ghanashyam Mishra &Sons ( P) Ltd,Yazdani Steel & power Ltd, Kashvi International Private Ltd,Jagat Janani Services Pvt. Ltd,M/s Agrasen Sponge Pvt. Ltd,PM Granite Export Pvt. Ltd,TS Alloys Ltd,GM Iron & Steel Company Ltd,NLC India Ltd, K.Srinivas Rao , Narbheram Steel & Power (p) Ltd.Arcelor Mittal India ( P) Ltd, Serajuddin & Co and Nirman Vikash Pvt. Ltd , NALCO.
JSW Steel’s Nuagaon Iron Ore Block having 776.969 hectors of land was executed on 27.6.20 followed by Narayanposhi Iron & Manganese Ore Block Iron & Mn having hectors of land 347.008 was exected on 27.6.20 while JSW’s Narayanposhi Iron & Manganese Ore Block having 347.008 Hectors of land was executed on 27.6.20 and the Sajjan Jindal led JSW’s Jajang Iron Ore Block having 669.078 hectors was executed on 27.6.20.
Narbheram Steel & Power (p) Ltd’s Roida-II Iron Ore Block having 74.702 hectors was expected on 29.6.20. Arcelor Mittal India ( P) Ltd, Thakurani Iron Ore Block , 228.744, 27.6.20, Serajuddin & Co’s Balda Iron Ore Block of 343.981 land was executed on 8.7.20 while Patnaik Minerals (P) Ltd’s Mahulsukha Iron & Mn Ore Block of 390.317 hectors executed on 29.6.20.Ghanashyam Mishra &Sons ( P) Ltd’s Gorumahisini Iron Ore Block having 349.709 hectors was executed on 3.7.20 while Yazdani Steel & power Ltd’s Kolmong Iron Ore & Manganese Block of 218.481 hectors of land was granted on 1.7.20.
Kashvi International Private Ltd’s Jaribahal Iron Ore Block having 107.44 hectors was executed on 29.6.20 while Jagat Janani Services Pvt. Ltd’s Jururi Iron Ore Block of 73.413 hectors of land executed on 4.7.20, M/s Agrasen Sponge Pvt. Ltd’s Katasahi Manganese Block of 200.509 hectors of land was granted on 4.7.20, PM Granite Export Pvt. Ltd’s Kanther-Koira Manganese block of 73.301 hectors of land was executed on 2.7.20
TS Alloys Ltd’s Kamarda Chromite Block of 107.240 land on 26.6.20, Company’s Saruabil Chromite Block of 246.858 hectors of land was executed on 26.6.20 and it’s Sukinda Chromite Block of 406.00 hectors of land executed on 23.7.20, GM Iron & Steel Company Ltd’s Badampahar Iron Ore Block of 129.61 hectors of land executed on 24.8.20
NALCO’s Utkal –D( village- Kosala, Nandichhod, Similisahi & Raijharan having 301.280 hectors of land was granted on 24.8.20 and NLC India Ltd’s Talabira –II &III , Jharsuguda district of 1914.,063 hectors of land executed on 24.8.20 and Nirman Vikash Pvt. Ltd’s Mahughara Hill’s Decorative Stone in Ganjam of 11.635 hectors land exacted 30.8.19.K.Srinivas Rao’s Peta, Malkangiri of 9.981 hectors of land executed on 3.4.19.
“7000 hects of Land was leased out to 17 Companies by Government of Odisha for 50 years during COVID lockdown in 2020,” said RTI activist Pradip Pradhan. Pradhan further alleged that the most dangerous corruption in the history of Odisha is mining corruption. It was officially estimated that this mining loot under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had looted Rs 1,00,000 crore in the state. The Justice Shah Commission, which was investigating mining corruption in 2013, had recommended the CBI investigation with an estimated amount of the looter to be Rs 60,000 crore. If CBI investigation had been done, then Naveen Babu would have gone to jail like Karnataka Chief Minister Yedurpa went to jail. But to protect Naveen Babu, BJP party mainly Modi came forward. CBI investigation was stopped. BJD party remained safe. This case went to Supreme Court. The Supreme Court imposed a penalty of Rs 17,000 crore on the mining lease holder companies who have illegally taken mines. This money has been collected and made an organization named OMBADC and kept in a special account.
The mining lease has almost been closed since this mining robbery. While the Covid lockdown was going on again, the state government has given lease to 17 companies in 7000 hectares of mine area for 50 years. This lease is for non-stop looting. Before this, many companies including Tata company have been mined under the formula of accidental lease.The job of many lease holders is to earn huge profit by sending mines to foreign countries. BJD party leaders, administrators, mining mafia are involved in this mining business. Just like thousands of trucks are carrying mines to Paradeep port, the valuable mineral property in our state would have been finished in a few years. Our future descendants will ask where the mines went. Then there will be no chief minister or mining company to answer. We do not get special royalty / revenue from selling these minerals, Pradhan added.
