Akshaya Kumar Sahoo

RTI awareness workshops were organised in Tata Steel's peripheral areas, like Sukinda, Bamanipal and Joda

Bhubaneswar: The Orissa mining scam, billed by some as the biggest loot of public property ever, has shocked even those who know little of the nitty-gritty of mining operations. In a nutshell, ores were extracted from mines much beyond the permitted limit. In many cases, mining was done without any permission in hand. The trend is still continuing.

Dilip Bisoi

Bhubaneswar: The Orissa government on Saturday lifted prohibitory orders on three railway sidings and allowed minerals movement by rail to restart. At least five rakes from the sidings in mineral rich Keonjhar district left for their destination on Sunday.

The Orissa government has now constituted a five-member committee to verify the records of all the mines in the state.

State, Rlys reach interim arrangement.

The essence of the interim arrangement is this: the forwarding note submitted by the consignor of the ore for placing indents for rakes will be verified and signed jointly by the State Mining Department and the authorities concerned in the Railways.

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Thursday formulated a set of interim rules to ensure that transportation of ore by railways is resumed to give relief to industries dependent on it.

The Orissa government's crackdown on illegal mines has virtually cut off iron ore supplies to a number of steel units not only in the state but also in neighbouring West Bengal and Chhattisgarh. On Wednesday, the Centre announced that a meeting involving these states will be held this month itself to evolve a mechanism to curb illegal mining.

The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court hearing the allegations of violations of forest protection laws in the multi-crore Orissa mining scam on Monday recommended that the state government should strictly enforce the law prohibiting mining within one km radius of a wildlife sanctuary.

Order promulgated in Keonjhar district.

Santanu Sanyal

Did the Orissa Government do the right thing when it promulgated early last month the prohibitory order under Section 144Cr PC in the mining areas in Keonjhar district and thus bringing to a total halt mining, storage and transportation of iron ore in that area?

The Additional Solicitor General of India does not think so.

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided that only traders with licence will be allotted rakes to transport minerals by railways.

This was decided at a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Secretary TK Mishra here today.

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