Bhubaneswar: The forest and environment department has decided to initiate prosecution against 77 erring mines owners. 

In a letter to the collectors of Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Jajpur, Balangir, Mayurbhanj and Rayagada districts, the department has directed to initiate prosecution against 77 defaulting mines. 

These aforesaid mines have violated provisions of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notifications 1994 and EIA Notification 2006 under Environment (Protection) Act 1986 since they have produced minerals without prior environment clearance (EC) or produced more than the specified quantity as mentioned in the EC. 

The department, which had earlier directed the collectors of Keonjhar, Sundargarh, Mayurbhanj and Rayagada to file prosecution against 43 mines for flouting the provisions of the said Act, has recently directed the collectors of Keonjhar, Sundargarh and Jajpur to initiate prosecution against 20 more defaulting mines.

Acting on the information of the steel and mines department, the F&E department has so far initiated steps to move prosecution against 41 mines in Keonjhar, 21 mines in Sundargarh, 10 mines in Mayurbhanj, three mines in Rayagada, one manganese mine in Balangir, one mine in Jajpur district.

The department has asked the Keonjhar collector to file prosecution against Putulpani Iron Ore Mines of Gandhamardan Sponge Industries, Jurudi Iron Ore Mines of Kalinga Mines Corporation, Balda Block Iron Ores Mines of Serajjuddin & Co and others; it has also directed the Collector of Sundargarh to move prosecution against , Tensa; Kurmita Iron Ore Mines of OMC and others. 

Similarly, it has also asked the collector of Mayurbhanj to initiate prosecution against Goru Mahisani Iron Ore Mines of GC Misra and Maharajpur Iron Ore Mines of DC Das and others. 

Asked about the prosecution against the mines, Director of Mines Deepak Mohanty said that this is a regular measure against defaulting mines which flout various mining laws. 

However, the F&E department is independently taking steps against violations on Environment and Forest Acts. 

The six-member Justice Shah Commission under the leadership of U V Singh, is expected to complete the scrutiny of a total of 186 mines.