The Financial Express, Dec 10, 2009
Bhubaneswar: It appears that Union forest & environment minister Jayaram Ramesh’s apprehensions were unfounded. There is no illegal construction or mining activities in Niyamgiri bauxite mines area in Orissa, according to the Orissa steel and mines secretary.
“No mining or construction activity was found in the Niyamgiri mines area," Ashok Mahadeo Rao Dalwai told FE. He said that the district collector has inquired and reported that there was no such activities neither in forest nor non-forest area in the mines.
The district collector of Kalahandi, RSanthagopalan, was asked to submit a report by the state government following Ramesh’s showcause notice to the state regarding the illegal mining in the Niyamgiri mines areas.
“The district magistrate has conduced a joint inquiry along with the officials of the mines and forest department and has submitted his report to the government,” the steel and mines secretary said.
Dalwai said the Niyamgiri mines is yet to get Stage II clearance. Once the clearance is accorded, the state government will sign a lease deed with the state-owned Orissa Mining Corporation (OMC) for handing over the mines.
The state government has recommended 660.749 hectares areas of Niyamgiri bauxite mines, which promises about 80 million tonne of reserve, in favour of OMC. Out of the area, 353.14 hectares are reserved forest. The MoEF has given Stage-I forest clearance in December 2005. The project is yet to get the Stage II forest clearance.
OMC has firmed up a joint venture with Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd. (SIIL) to develop the bauxite mines for supply of raw material to Vedanta Aluminium Ltd. (VAL) refinery at Lanjigarh.
The union minister, on November 25, had slapped a showcause notice on the state government stating that the regional chief conservator of forest based at Bhubaneswar has reported that illegal construction activities are going on in the non-forest areas of the mines violating the government of India guidelines.
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