Illegal mining continues

BHUBANESWAR: Though stringent monitoring and enforcement mechanisms are in place, illegal mining continues unabated in the State. The latest has been the collection of ore from forested areas and their illegal transportation to neighbouring Jharkhand. It was the Eastern Regional Office of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) here which has brought the matter to light following which the Department of Steel and Mines has asked Director, Mines, and  the Keonjhar Collector to get it inquired. The MoEF office, in a letter to the Forest and Environment Department, informed that iron ore was being illegally collected from Keonjhar Forest Division. It cited three places __ Block A of Thakurani mines, Orissa Mineral Development Corporation area adjoining Jharkhand and Roida mines. After being collected, the minerals are allegedly finding their way into the neighbouring State. The illegal collection and movement of iron ore have once again pointed at clandestine operators giving the enforcement authorities a slip and it has been a persistent trend even after relentless crackdown. Over 850 cases of illegal mining have been detected in the last one and a half years. According to a status update available with the Government, the State-level Enforcement Squad, constituted by the Steel and Mines Department, had detected as many as 59 cases of illegal mining by July 31. During 2010-11, the District-level Task Forces detected 800 such cases. The efforts were rendered infructuous due to lack of follow-up measures in many cases. In a recent letter, the Department noted that not a single complaint has been filed before the court during July and August. The Director, Mines, had been instructed that minor irregularities can be compounded but in case of serious offences, complaints need to be lodged before the court. Besides, in many cases no immediate seizure was found to be made indicating that checks conducted by the squads were not effectively planned and organised.