Government to regulate mineral extraction

BHUBANESWAR: Large-scale environmental degradation, mindless mining, growing resistance to displacement and a multi-crore scam later, the Orissa Government has finally woken up to the  need of regulating mineral extraction in the State. The Government on Friday formed a 14-member committee to suggest ways to extract iron and manganese ore in mines located in two most mining-intensive circles of Joda in Keonjhar district and Koira in Sundargarh district. Chief Secretary will head the committee which will recommend the maximum quantity of iron and manganese ore to be mined from these two circles. Basing on the quantity determined, production of individual mines will be regulated so as to ensure judicious and sustainable exploitation of the minerals. Besides regulating the production limits, the State Government has also stressed the need to develop a Master Plan for the areas to ensure cumulative effect of extraction from individual mines is within sustainable limits. The Government zeroed in on Joda and Koira because it felt that increased production and transportation of iron ore from the mines in the two circles is adversely affecting the environment as well as population of the areas.   “There is a need to regulate production and despatch of minerals from the mines in these areas taking into account the need for conservation of minerals-carrying capacity of the region, railways and road infrastructure available, and impact on environment and the population,” the notification by the Steel and Mines Department said. At present, 29 lessees are operating in Joda circle while operations of about 67 have been suspended. Similarly, Koira circle has 28 operational mines. The committee will also be represented by secretaries of departments such as Forest and Environment, Commerce and Transport and Steel and Mines, chairman of Paradip Port Trust, general managers of East Coast Railway and South East Railway, regional controller of Indian Bureau of Mines and member secretary of State Pollution Control Board. Two lessees and two end-users will attend meeting of the committee as special invitees.