Govt to table 1st report of panel in Parliament

The government would table the first report of the
Justice MB Shah Commission on the alleged illegal mining activity in Odisha in Parliament soon.

Recently, the panel submitted the 1,500 page-long first report to the Union mines ministry.

Although the report is not in public domain, it is felt that
the report may contain preliminary observations, suggestion and overall findings besides conclusions on illegal mining operation in the state.

Since inception, Odisha government has been denying any illegal mining activity in the state. In its first report for Goa, the Commission had concluded that “all modes of illegal mining are being committed in the state of Goa”.

But some industry players feel that the first part of the report may not contain findings on the illegal mining in the state as the commission is yet to decide on it.

Meanwhile, the central government is awaiting the final report to take a decision. The commission, which has visited the state five times since December 2011, was criticised by local miners last year for reaching a conclusion on mining operation beyond the lease area by referring to Google Maps.

Local miners argue that Google Maps is unable to provide exact landscape details from satellite images and hence the panel cannot infer the encroachment of forest area or adjacent mines lease based on this.