SC asks Odisha to state amount of penalty pending for illegal mining
This story was originally published at 17:04 IST on 28 November 2024
Register to read our real-time news.Informist, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024
NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court Thursday asked Odisha's government to file an affidavit on the penalty and interest pending for recovery as of date on account of illegal mining in the state. According to a previous affidavit filed by the state government in February, the total amount still to be recovered from mine owners for excess mining, pursuant to an order of the Supreme Court in 2017, was INR 27.45 billion. The court will hear the case next in the second week of January.
The Supreme Court was hearing a petition by a non-government organisation, Common Cause, highlighting the problems of illegal mining in Odisha. The petitioner is also against lessees operating in Odisha without clearance or renewal under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
The court had set Dec. 31, 2017, as the penalty-payment deadline for all miners who were found to have mined beyond the approved mining plan, violating environmental and forest clearances, as per the recommendations of the Centre-appointed Justice M.B. Shah Commission and the court-appointed Central Empowered Committee. However, some of the mine owners have still not paid the amount to the Odisha government.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner Common Cause, said that despite the recovery orders passed by the top court, little was done. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the recovery was an ongoing process and the state government would file a fresh affidavit regarding this.
On Aug. 14, 2023, the court had asked the Odisha government if a cap could be imposed on iron ore mining in the state and the modalities for doing so. On Dec. 4, the court had sought the independent view of the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, and the court-appointed Central Empowered Committee on capping iron ore mining in Odisha. On Thursday, the court said it would hear the issue after the state government files a fresh affidavit. End
Reported by Surya Tripathi
Edited by Rajeev Pai
For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.
Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt Ltd.
Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000
Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com
© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2024. All rights reserved.
To read more please subscribe
Share this Story:
