The Orissa government on Saturday lifted prohibitory orders on three railway sidings and allowed minerals movement by rail to restart. At least five rakes from the sidings in mineral rich Keonjhar district left for their destination on Sunday.
Keonjhar district police chief Ashish Singh told FE that the situation in the three railways sidings has become normal. ??The prohibitory orders have been lifted since Saturday evening,?? he added.
Movement of minerals had come to a halt since March 5, 2010 as the Keonjhar district administration promulgated Section 144 of the CrPC in and around the premise of three railway sidings?Barbil, Bansapani and Jhurudi. The government action came after detection of large-scale illegal movement of minerals from the mines by railway rakes from these sidings.
Joda deputy director mines (DDM) Umesh Jena said the five detained rakes have been released and left for West Bengal and Paradip port. The DDM said that 1.84 lakh tonne out of 3.82 lakh tonne mineral received was found to be illegally removed from the mines.
The illegally mined mineral has been seized by the mines department, he said, adding, permissions are being given for the remaining 1.98 lakh tonne for transporation by railway rakes.
The state government and railways have recently arrived at an agreement to go in for joint verification of ore transporation from railway sidings. As per the new mechanism, the railway rakes would be alloted to the consignee only on the recommendation of the DDM. Moreover, the railway authorities would receive the minerals at the sidings only after verification of the transit permit.