Strict Action Against Defaulting Miners In Odisha

Introduction:

A commendably detailed account of the malpractices and serious violations by the miners in Odisha was made by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in the case of Common Cause v. Union of India and Ors.¹ in August 2017. A Centrally Empowered Committee was appointed in 2009 for examining the conditions and practices adopted in the mining organizations and their public regulators in the State of Odisha.

In its detailed report, the Centrally Empowered Committee (hereinafter referred to as the 'CEC'), it was stated that out of 187 iron and manganese ore mining companies, 102 did not have the requisite environmental clearance (under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986) or approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 or approved mining plan and/or Consent to Operate under the provisions of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 or the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. The judgement has mentioned without exception