The state steel & mines department will issue notices to 83 miners awaiting second and subsequent renewal of their leases within a month. Depending on the merit of cases, the department will either renew the leases or bring ineligible leases under the fold of its PSU- Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC).

The department has seemingly softened its stand after its recent decision to cancel all applications for renewal of leases made between 1987 and 1994. Last month, the department had decided to bring such leases back to the fold of the state government against the backdrop of an ongoing probe into alleged large scale illegal mining activities in the state by the visiting M B Shah commission of enquiry.