SC appointed CEC team to visit State today

BHUBANESWAR: Officials of the State Government are all set to face the Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered committee (CEC), which would visit Odisha on Saturday to examine whether the State Government have properly implemented the recommendations of the CEC to check illegal mining in the State or not.

The CEC team would hold discussions with top State officials on December 10. “The panel will mostly focus on compliance with forest laws at mining leases,” said a senior Government official. Secretaries and senior officials of the department of Revenue, Mines, Forest and State Pollution Control Board would be present over the meeting.

It may be noted that that the CEC in its report in April 2010, had pointed out the misuse of ‘deemed extension’ clause in Odisha under Rules 24-A (6) of Mineral Concession Rules-1960. The CEC had outlined in the report that mining activities were going on in a large number of mines in the State without the requisite approvals under Forest (Conservation) Act-1980, environmental clearances and air and water Acts. The mining activities also exceeded production limit as approved under the Mining Plans, the report mentioned.

The CEC had drawn the Government’s attention to deal with serious shortcomings on a priority basis to ensure strict compliance with provisions of Forest (Conservation) Act-1980, Environment Protection Act and other statutory provisions.