Shah Comm to re-examine mines on Mar 16

BHUBANESWAR: The Justice MB Shah commission, which is probing illegal mining across the country, would re-examine the mines in the State by March 16. The commission has sent a guideline to the State Government in this regard.

From the beginning of the Commission’s hearing recently, the lessees were raising question on the authenticity of differential geographical positioning systems (DGPS) used for demarcation of mines lease boundaries in the State. Following the complaint of the mine owners, the Commission had allowed physical verification of certain leasehold areas during the hearing.

According to the decision of the commission, a seven-member team would go to Keonjhar and Sundergarh district to re-examine the actual position of the mines. They would be assisted by district level members.

Meanwhile, the Commission has sent guidelines to the State Government regarding the re-examining of mines which stated that the mining outside of the lease area would be declared as encroachment area. It also stated that the team would examine the lease area whether it is forest or non-forest area and the lessees have followed the rules or not that would be examined.