SC body recommends fines on firms that mined without green nod in Odisha
The apex-court appointed central empowered committee has suggested recovering 30% of the notional value of the illegally mined ore
Mumbai: Around 213 million tonnes (mt) of iron ore and 2.4 mt of manganese was produced without environmental clearance between 2000 to 2011 in Odisha, a Supreme Court-appointed body submitted on Friday.
The apex-court appointed central empowered committee (CEC) has recommended recovering 30% of the notional value of the illegally mined ore.
“The 14 lessees, who have produced above 5 mt of iron ore and manganese without or in excess of the environmental clearances, include OMC Ltd, a government of Odisha undertaking, BPME Ltd, a government of India undertaking and companies belonging to some of the well known corporate groups such as Tata Group and Aditya Birla Group," CEC’s report said.
The report said the total notional value of the minerals produced “without or in excess of the environmental clearance", at the weighted average price of minerals, adds up to ₹ 17,091.24 crore for iron ore and ₹ 484.92 crore for manganese.
It said TISCO Ltd mined 9.4 mt of iron ore and 1.2 mt of manganese ore of a notional value of ₹ 61,441.30 crore and Aditya Birla group’s unlisted Essel Mining and Industries Ltd mined 19.68 mt of iron ore of a notional value of ₹ 1,10,263 crore, without or in excess of environmental clearance.
The spokesperson of Tata Steel Ltd was not immediately available for comments and a spokesperson for Aditya Birla Group said the matter is subjudice.
“…it may be appropriate that 30% of the notional value of the iron and manganese produced by each of the lessees without or in excess of the environmental clearances may be directed to be recovered from the concerned lessees," CEC said, recommending that the compensation be paid within three months.
It recommended that the entire compensation, including the amount recovered by the disposal of the leases of the defaulting lessees, may be deposited in a special purpose vehicle for tribal welfare and area development.
PTI contributed to this story.
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