One more Orissa mine asked to suspend operation
By IANSThursday, December 10, 2009
BHUBANESWAR - The central government has asked one more mine operator in mineral-rich Orissa to suspend work for violating mining norms.
The Indian Bureau of Mines Wednesday asked the operations of the Thakurani Iron and Manganese Mines in Keonjhar district to be stopped for violation of norms, an official of the bureau told IANS.
The bureau is a multi-disciplinary government agency, working under the ministry of mines.
The decision to suspend work at the Thakurani mine has been taken after inspecting several iron ore and manganese ore mines in the district, the official said.
The bureau has also served show-cause notices to operators of three other mines in the region for irregularities, and asked them to explain why their operations should not be suspended.
Orissa is one of the richest mineral-bearing states in India — 16.92 percent of the mineral reserves of the country are estimated to be in the state.
The state government started an investigation in July following allegations by politicians that some mines were operating without licences.
Last month the government ordered suspension of work in 128 mines including about 50 iron ore mines.
The government also ordered suspension of licences of more than 400 traders of different ores after they failed to produce documents to show that their mining activities were legal.
|
December 12, 2009: 2:33 am
“Public Hey, Sub Janta Hey”. The Congress was ruling the state till 1999. For the last about 10-years BJP was a part of the coalition government. All of a sudden these political parties ‘enlightened’ and discovered the illegal mining activities going on in Orissa. While changing name our state, it should not be “Odisha”; but ORE(H)ISSA (SHARE OF ORE). When the hissa of ore (share of the ore) comes down, people started finding out illegal activities in mining; when they get lions share, they will find nothing illegal. We, the people of this mining belt suffering from all the ill effects of mining for decades and did not revolted against mining industries, because it is the only industry existing here and getting our earning from it. We were dying of Malaria, Jaundice, typhoid none of these beloved leaders visited us. We do not have potable water to drink, road to walk, medical facilities, schools, list will be a longer one… it is nothing to matter the leaders. No development work is taking place in the mining belts from government side. With the politics, mines will be closed, people will be unemployed and may die of hunger and poverty, then again these leaders will come to play politics with our corpse. It is difficult to identify amongst leaders and vultures; both love dead bodies. May God bless Ore(H)issa. Arun |
Arun Behera