Illegal Mining: 9 defaulter lease holders appearing before Keonjhar Magistrate court today

Kalinga TV News Network

Rourkela: With the Odisha Government starting the attachment of properties of defaulter mine owners, at least nine lessees against whom certificate cases have been lodged are appearing for the hearing in Keonjhar district Magistrate’s court today.

During the hearing the defaulter mine owners have been given with a chance to apprise the court on the circumstances under which they failed to pay the fine as per the Supreme Court directive of August 2.

In the first phase hearing today defaulter mine owners like, BK Mohanty, Gandhamardan Sponge, Mala Roy and Brothers, BPME Ltd, Narayani Sons, SD Sharma, Sharada Mines, HG Pandya and Brothers and Basudev Aggarwal are keep their sides.

As per the apex court directive at least 23 lessees of 31 mines in Keonjhar district have an amount of Rs 6,300 crore due for fine recovery. While 28 defaulter mines are from Keonjhar Mines Circle the rest three are from Joda Mines Circle.

The court would take the final decision on the recovery of the penalty basing on the arguments during the hearing today. In case a lessee fails to pay the fine, either a warrant will be issued against it or the property held on lease will be attached.

The hearing in the property confiscation of defaulter mines has been scheduled for July 28, August 4 and 18.