Aparajita Sarangi Raises Mining Issue In Lok Sabha; Alleges Large Scale Irregularities In Odisha

New Delhi: Raising the issue of mining scam in Lok Sabha on Friday, BJP MP from Bhubaneswar Aparajita Sarangi alleged that large scale irregularities are taking place in Odisha by showing huge volume of iron ore as of low grade.

Alleging that crores of rupees are being misappropriated by showing high quality iron ore as inferior, Sarangi sought a direction to the Odisha government to conduct a probe into the alleged irregularities and send a report on the matter.

Stating that the state government auctioned some iron ore mines during 2020-21, the parliamentarian said it is surprising that the quantity of iron ore shown as inferior or low grade has increased significantly after the fresh auctions.

Citing some data, she said the iron ore having less than 55 per cent ferus content is considered to be of low grade or inferior quality whose value is very low.

Claiming that the inferior quality iron ore comprised only 0.9 per cent during 2019-20 before mines auctions, Sarangi alleged that after just one year the volume of minerals shown as low grade recorded a whopping increase to 27.3 per cent in the state.

The mines where high grade iron ores were produced for the last 20 to 30 years, suddenly showed a changed pattern within 2 years and the volume reached 42.3 per cent and 58.9 per cent, she claimed.

As a result, the value of minerals witnessed substantial fall, causing huge loss to the state government, the BJP MP claimed.

Though the Centre had written to the state government for a probe into the mining operations, its request went unheeded, Sarangi claimed, seeking a direction to the state government to send a report on the matter and conduct a probe.