Following the unearthing of a multi-crore mining scam in Orissa and erstwhile Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda?s alleged plundering of mines in Jharkhand, Orissa and Jharkhand are soon going to launch a joint offensive against illegal mining activities in the region. The Orissa steel & mines secretary, Ashok Mahadeo Rao Dalwai, has already discussed the issue with his Jharkhand counterpart. The Orissa chief secretary, TK Mishra, in a letter to the Jharkhand chief secretary Shiv Basant, has also proposed that enforcement officials of both states should launch a joint drive against mine owners and mine mafias engaged in illegal mining. ?Top officials of both the states will meet soon to work out a strategy for joint operations,” a senior official of the state government told fe. The border areas of Orissa and Jharkhand are rich with iron ore and manganese mines. In recent years, several sponge iron plants and crusher units have come up in these areas to facilitate easy movement of minerals raised illegally in the areas. Mine owners and mine mafias raise minerals illegally and smuggle them out to these sponge iron plants and crusher units. Recently, mine mafia goons attacked officials of the Orissa mines department enforcement squad in Sarada mines area of Keonjhar district and escaped to Jharkhand. Meanwhile, the state vigilance police have registered five cases in connection with illegal mining activities by M/S Rungta Mines Pvt. Ltd., M/s Serajuddin & Co. and M/s B.D.Patnaik. The cases were registered under various sections of Prevention of Corruption Act, Indian Penal Code, Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act and Forest (Conservation) Act. ? The cases were booked after undertaking joint physical verification and inquiry into allegations of undue official favour leading to illegal mining,” said the vigilance SP, Debadutta Patnaik. According to him, the scam in these five cases alone is worth Rs 410 crore.
Cases have been booked against 11 state government officials including two Indian Forest Service officers, besides mines owner Nandalal Rungta, Mangilal Rungta and Md. Mofazzalor Rehman of Serajuddin & Co.
With this, the state vigilance police, which is investigating into the mining scam in Orissa, has booked a total of nine cases against mining companies and the total amount involved in the scam has gone up to Rs 520 crore. Earlier, the vigilance had registered cases against Ram Bahadur Thakur (RBT) and found illegal mining activities worth Rs 110 crore.