Thursday, January 31, 2019

Dankari Mining Loot - Another Mega Mining Scam in Odisha


Dankari Mining Loot- Another Mega Mining Scam worth Rs. 4000 crores perpetuated by BJD leaders and Govt. officials under Nabin Patnaik Govt.  in Odisha

This  is a glaring  case  of loot  of  minerals engineered  by  Nabin Patnaik, Chief Minister  and his Ministers  MLAs  causing  crores of rupees  revenue  loss  and protecting  mining  mafia  and erring  officials.

1.       NGT Order – Eye Opener

The  issue  of  Dankari  Mining  loot  has  come to  limelight  after  intervention and series of orders passed  by  National Green Tribunal  following  complaint petition No. 604/2018  filed  by Sarbeswar Behura , RTI  Activist   and Member  of Odisha  soochana adhikar Abhijan. The gist of the order of NGT dated 4.1.19 is as follows.

A.    Chief  Secretary, Govt. of Odisha was directed  to initiate appropriate  departmental action  for the misconduct  of the officers  involved  in permitting illegal   black stone quarrying  as found  by the inspection committee  constituted  by NGT. Apart  from  such disciplinary  action, the state  has to recover  the cost of illegally  mined material, cost of damage  to environment , Net present Value  of ecological services  foregone  as well as  cost of restoration  of the environment.

B.The State  Govt.  and statutory  authorities   must anticipate, prevent  and attack  the causes  of environment degradation  and are accountable  for inaction  as well as collusion.

C.To uphold rule of  law  and accountability  of those  who are  trustees  of  environment , the  state machinery  is required  to  compensate  for their negligence  and failure  which may act  as deterrent against  the officers  who neglected  their basic duty  of protecting the environment  or colluded with the polluters  and law violators.  This  is required  as a part of  principle  of “ polluter pays”  which applies  not only to actual polluters  or enable pollution  to be caused  and also  for the negligence  of  public duties , adversely  affecting  the citizens.

D.      The  State Govt.   can not  avoid  the  responsibility  for the damage  caused  to the environment.  Accordingly  , NGT  held  the  state  Govt. to  be liable  to deposit  an interim  compensation  of Rs. 25 crores  which may be  deposited  with the  Central  Pollution  Control Board  within one month, pending the final assessment  on receipt of the report  of the  committee being  constituted.  The State  Govt.  has the liberty  to recover  the amount  from  the erring  officers  and the  illegal  miners/ stone crushers . The amount  recovered  will be utilized  for restoration of  environment  and for the  welfare  of  mine workers  and local population affected  by diseases  due to illegal mining.

E.       NGT   also  constituted a joint committee  of representatives of CPCB, Indian school of mines, Dhanabad,  and Chairman,  State  Environment  Impact Assessment Authority ( SEIAA)  to  make an assessment  of the amount of illegally mined materials , cost of damage to environment , net present value  of ecological services foregone  as well as  cost  of restoration of the environment  and exemplary  damages .

F.       NGT  has  fixed  6.5.19  for next  hearing of the case.

2.       Sequence  of  Struggle  of RTI Activist  leading to intervention of NGT

·         Dankari Hill forest  area , storehouse  of blackstone mines  comes  under  jurisdiction  of Dharmashala Tahsil  of Jajpur  district, Odisha.  This area, habitation of 700  population  of Dankari village  under Mahisara Gram Panchayat   is 15 kms   away  from Dharmashala Tahsil. Sribasa  Jena ,  a former  Zilla Parishad of Biju Janata Dal,  rulling party , highly  politically  influential  person  closely  connected  to local MLA  and  state  power corridor  undertook   illegal  mining  operation I,e,  extraction of  black stone mines  in Dankari Hill  with  complete   support  from district administration  in 2002. He carried out wagon  drill for   black stone mining quarry which caused  huge  water  and environment  pollution  in the locality.

·         When  his illegal  mining  extraction was at  peak stage,  Sarbeswar Behura, RTI Activist  from 2012  started   filling  series of RTI Application to different  offices including  office of Tahasil,  Dharmashala,  Collector,   Jajpur  and Deputy Director, Mines, Jajpur Road  seeking  information about details of lease  granted ,  area covered, copy of environment  clearance , details of royalty  paid  etc. The  information provided  by different  offices  exposed  about  mining  operation  without  valid lease  and  environment clearance.  Then ,  Sarbeswar  filed  series of complaints  to  different authorities  with prayer  to stop  illegal  mining  operation in Dankari Hill.  But due to political pressure, no authority  did  take  any action against  the  illegal miner.

·         Then, in 2014, he  filed  a PIL case  in Odisha High Court  seeking  direction of the  court  to stop  illegal  mining  operation  in Dankari Hill. But  he could not  get appropriate  order  from the  court.  In the meantime , in 2015,  30 to 40  villagers  died  of kidney  damage, liver problem  and other  diseases  due to huge  water  and environment  pollution.  A large number  of  villagers  are also  found suffering  from various diseases  due to  pollution generated from  illegal  mining  operation.

·         Then, Sarbeswar filed  complaint case  No. 4323/15  in Odisha Human Rights Commission  on 30.11.15  seeking  direction for   inquiry  into  illegal mining operation and  to check health  hazard  in the area. OHRC issued direction to Satya Mallik,  the then  Collector, Jajpur  to conduct  inquiry  and take action accordingly.

·         The  Collector  in his letter  No. 3408  dated  27.11.15  ordered  for  closure  of operation of illegal mining   in Dankari Hill. On  13.12.15,  he  also  wrote letter  to Deputy Director, Mines, Jajpur Road  to quantify  total amount of  Black stone mines extracted  from the  Hill .  In response to letter of the Collector, the Deputy Director, mines, Jajpur Road   submitted   a report dt. 18.3.16  to the  Collector  in which he has mentioned that  total quantity  of  73, 38, 012.5 cum  has been illegally  extracted   by the  Mining  operator.

·         On 10.5.16, the   Collector, Jajpur  wrote  a letter  to Secretary , Revenue and Disaster Management  informing about  illegal  mining operation  in Dankari Hill , loss of  royalty   due to illegal mining  operation and suggested  for a state squard  to make an assessment  of damage  done /loss of revenue sustained to state government.  

·         On 18.5.16, the  Collector  wrote  a letter  to Tahasildar  attaching  report  of  Deputy Director, Mines, Jajpur Road  to quantify  revenue  loss of   amount  of  black stone mines  extracted  by deducting  the royalty paid  by  the mining operator.   The  Tahasildar   calculated  details of royalty  amount deposited  by Sribasa Jena  against  mining extracted to the tune of  14,15,596 cum and compare  it with  figure  of total amount of mining extracted  as per report of Deputy Director, Mines. The Tahasildar wrote  a letter  to  Sribasa Jena, Mining operator  about  extraction of excess  amount  of mining  69,22, 016  cum  against  which  royalty  amount  Rs. 58, 62, 79, 633.00  to be deposited  with  copy  marked to  Collector.

·          On 8.6.16, Sribasa Jena challenged   the order of Tahasildar   in Odisha High Court and got stay order. On 28.9.16, the  High  Court  ordered  for fresh inquiry  and provide  reasonable  opportunity  to  Sribasa Jena  of being  heard  prior to taking  any decision  about   fixation of royalty.

·         On 21.6.16, Mr. Deepak Mohanty, Director, Mines  wrote  a letter to the  Collector, Jajpur  to constitute a committee comprising  the revenue, Mining   and police officials  for  getting  reassessment done  with the assistance  of State level  Enforcement  squad  of this directorate.


·         On 4.7.16., Sri Abhaya Nayak, Joint  Secretary, R7DM  wrote a letter  to  the Collector, Jajpur  that
i.      Collector  shall  calculate  the royalty  amount  for the excessquantity  of black stone  extracted  by the lessee and issue demand  notice  to Sri Sribasa Jena , the lessee  and recover the same immediately.
ii.    Penalty  may  also be levied  for the illegal extraction  of  the minerals  from  the sources.
iii.   Total extent of revenue  loss and excess lifting  should be  assessed by  the  joint team  comprising  officers of Mines and Revenue administration, constituted  Collector, Jajpur.
iv.  Collector  should file FIR  for the theft  of black stone  to  the extent excess  than  the allotted quantity.
v.    Collector  may initiate  disciplinary  proceedings against the concerned R.I.s  and recommend  with memo of evidence  for drawal of proceedings  against Tahasildars  and other  higher  authorities.
vi.  On the basis of  the facts  reported  and theft done in violation of the lease conditions, the lease agreement , if in force any,  should  be terminated  by  the  Collector  following due  procedure  of law.
vii. Immediate  steps  should be taken for  fresh auction  of the  source, as per revised  OMMC Rules.

·   Following  order  of Department of  Revenue  and Disaster Management  dated 4.7.16,  the  Additional district  Magistrate ( ADM), Jajpur  dt. 23.8.16  submitted  to the  Collector, Jajpur framing  the memorandum   of evidence  for  drawal of  proceedings   under  Rule-15  of the Orissa Civil  Services ( Classification, Control  and Appeal ) Rules, 1962 against the 10  erring  Revenue  Inspectors  of Dankari  R.I. Circle  under Dharmashala Tahsil  in connection with  the illegal extraction  of Black stone  from Dankari  Black stone quarry  and loss of revenue  incurred during their  incumbency  as Revenue  Inspectors.  The   Revenue  Inspectors  were  directed  to submit their written statement of defence   within 30 days  from the date  of receipt of memorandum  and also to state  if they  desire  to be heard  in person.

·   On  6.8.16., the ADM  submitted  to Revenue  and Disaster  Management  the  draft proceedings  against the 10 erring  Tahasildars  of Dharmashala in connection with  the illegal extraction  of Black stone  from Dankari  Black stone quarry  and loss of revenue  incurred during their  incumbency  as Tahasildars.   The   Tahasildars   were  directed  to submit their written statement of defence  within 30 days  from the date  of receipt of memorandum  and also to state  if they  desire  to be heard  in person.

·   Similarly,  on 11.8.16,  the ADM  submitted  to Revenue  and Disaster  Management  the  draft proceedings  against the 6  erring  Sub-Collectors    in connection with  the illegal extraction  of Black stone  from Dankari  Black stone quarry  and loss of revenue  incurred during their  incumbency  as Sub-Collectors.   The    Sub-Collectors were  directed  to submit their written statement of defence  within 30 days  from the date  of receipt of memorandum  and also to state  if they  desire  to be heard  in person.

Though notice  for  disciplinary  proceedings  was  issued  to  10 Revenue Inspectors, 10 Tahasildars  and 6  Sub-Collectors,    it  was kept  pending for  years together. No action was  taken against  erring  officials  till yet. These  officials  were protected  by the State  Government, political  leaders , local MLA  and  others.

·      Then Sarbeswar  Behuria  filed  complaint  to  NGT   IN July  2018  seeking inquiry  into  illegal mining  extraction  and played  for   action against the  officials.  After  registering  the  Complaint  No. 604/2018, NGT  has ordered   dated 31.8.18.  to the Secretary, Department of Forest  to constitute  a team  with representatives  from SPCB, Sate  Level environment  Impact Assessment  Authority 9SEIAA), Odisha  and  Collector, jajpur  and  a representative  from forest department  and  to furnish  an action taken report.  The Forest  Dept. submitted the  report  to NGT  on 7.12.18.  Following  which  the NGT  passed above-mentioned order .

3.       Harassment  of Sarbeswar Behura
While  taking up this issue , Sarbeswar has faced a lot of difficulties .  He  has been  attached  by the  goons  several times and threatened  of attack  and murder.  Five number of false cases have been filed  against him in local police station.  His  home was broken down and set fire  by miscreants.

NGT  order  is   one step forward  not only to stop  mining  loot  but  also  to recover  loot  amount  from the illegal miner and  officials  responsible for it.

Prepared  by

Pradip Pradhan with  support  from Sarbeswar Behura
RTI Activist
State  Convener, Odisha Soochana adhikar Abhijan ( OSAA)
M-9937843482
Date- 30.1.19

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