Orissa. In the petition that was filed by Common Cause, the SC today held that mining companies in Orissa were guilty of rampant illegal and rapacious mining as held by the Justice Shah Commission. It must be noted that the Shah Commission had given scathing reports on the illegal mining in the state of Odhisa. The Shah Commission had concluded that the scam in just two districts of the state, Keonjhar and Sundargarh, comes out to nearly 70,000 crore. In a landmark judgment the court’s order that companies involved in illegal extraction of minerals would have to pay a 100% penalty on the value of illegally extracted material.
Swaraj Abhiyan President Prashant Bhushan who was representing Common Cause said, “The Supreme Court has said that it would appoint a high level expert committee to examine how and why such rampant illegal extraction went on and suggest ways and means to remedy that. The issue of a CBI investigation would be considered after that.”
“The court also asked the govt to prepare a new mining policy, taking into account the issue of intergenerational equity, so that mineral and the Environment would be preserved for future generations,” Prashant Bhushan added.
Swaraj Abhiyan salutes the SC for this important landmark judgement which would have a major impact on illegal mining going on in the country
