Bhubaneswar: Mining companies failing to pay the demanded fine money by this month end will not be allowed to operate from first January. Odisha Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick on Friday passed this decision as he added that at present 54 of the 147 mines served fine notices are in operation.
Odisha Government has slapped Rs 17,576 crore of demand notice on 147 miners for over extractions of Iron and manganese ore during 2000 and 2011.December 31 is due date, the Supreme Court has fixed for submitting the fine.
The exact collection of fine money will come out only after the collection is closed in the evening of December 31.said the Minister. However there are reports that fine deposit by 29th December roughly amounts Rs7962 crore.
Odisha Mining Corporation OMC had penalty of Rs 2177.97 crore, the state owned company has payed the dues as per report available. Tata Steel has also paid its fine money of Rs 614 crore.
Orissa Mineral Development Corporation has also received penalty notice of Rs 642 crore.
The Supreme Court of India on August 2, this year had asked the Odisha Government to collect Rs 17,576.17 crore as penalty from Miners for illegal mining on the basis of the Central Empowered Committee CEC report. The CEC was the appointment of the Apex Court to probe into the allegations of rampant illegal mining in Odisha.
The penalised companies had approachd the Supreme seeking consideration for exemption of royalty, Taxes and logistic costs from fine but the Court turned down the request.
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