Srikant demands CM’s resignation over alleged mining scam in State

--‘Odisha’s mining scam higher than Karnataka and Goa’

BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister and Congress leader Srikant Jena on Monday at a Press meet in New Delhi demanded Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s resignation over alleged mining scams in the State. He alleged that the mining scam in the State which amount to nearly Rs 4 lakh crore is significantly larger than the mining scams in Karnataka and Goa.

Jena said, “By imposing an Rs 58,000 crore fine on 27 mining operators for illegal mining, the State Government has in-turn, admitted to its own involvement in this mega loot of minerals in the State.” He said that the mega loot didn’t happen overnight. It has happened over the last 10 years, he added.

Jena held the Chief Minister and his cabinet associates responsible for the huge loot of mines in the State. He also indicated that they would bring similar allegation against the State Government for similar irregularities in the field of Chromite mining (Odisha has 98.3 per cent of chromite deposits in India).

Jena alleged that the loot has been deliberate, calculated, well- thought out, and meticulously planned due to the collusion of the Chief Minister with mining operators. In fact, it is commonly acknowledged that a ‘cut’ of Rs 500 per ton of iron ore comes to the third floor of the State Government Secretariat in Bhubaneswar, he added. “Who are the beneficiaries of this ‘cut’,” he questioned.  

Jena demanded that the Chief Minister must resign immediately and be charged with criminal conspiracy along with his cabinet colleagues and officials who have been in charge during the period in question. He also demanded immediate cancellation of licenses of defaulting mines and book all mine owners for the criminality committed by them, seize their bank accounts and initiate legal proceedings at the earliest.