Congress MLA alleges mining scam in Orissa

A Congress MLA today alleged that a private company, having lease of the largest iron ore mine in Orissa, has been engaged in illegal mining in a vast area for a long period depriving the state exchequer of about Rs6,000 crore.
       
The company has been engaged in unauthorised mining in the area outside the leased mine with the full knowledge of the BJD government, the Congress leader Naba Kishore Das told reporters here.
       
Besides, the company had violated the mandatory value addition to the mined iron ore within the state, he alleged.
 
Demanding a CBI enquiry into the entire matter, Das said that the original lease and subsequent renewals should be scrutinised thoroughly.
       
The same company had signed an MoU in November, 2005 to set up a mini steel plant of 2 mtpa capacity with a cost of Rs2775 crore. It was to commence production in 2008, but not even the boundary wall of the proposed plant had been erected, he added.