Odisha sets Nov 15 deadline for clearances to eight mines.

The eight iron ore and manganese mines, which are running on the basis of express orders of the state government pending their lease renewal, have been asked to obtain all statutory clearances and execute renewed lease deeds with the government latest by November 15.

The leases include four held by Tata Steel- Bamebari, Katamati, Joda East and Joda West, three mines- Bolani, Barsuan and Kalta held by Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) and the Kurmitar Pahar lease of state run Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).

After the Supreme Court’s May 26 interim order, 26 mines including these eight leases that were operating under the provisions of deemed lease extension and were awaiting second and subsequent lease renewal, went off operations. Later, the state government, complying with the apex court's order, had passed express orders in favour of eight mines.

'Earlier, we had given two extensions to the leaseholders of these eight mines and now they have been given the November 15 deadline to obtain all clearances and execute lease deeds with the government,' said director (mines) Deepak Mohanty after a meeting of the state level task force on mining.

Asked on the status of the balance 18 mines, Mohanty said, 'The task force did not deliberate on the matter of issuing express orders for those mines.'


BS