Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has ordered for Vigilance probe into illegal mining operations in Sundargarh district’s Hemagiri and Koida tehsils.
The anti-corruption bureau has established a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the matter.
In Hemgiri tehsil, illegal extraction of over 9,843 metric tonnes of coal from 22 mines has come to light, with an estimated value exceeding Rs 2 crore Similarly, in Koira tehsil, illegal extraction of manganese and iron ore from 50 mines in Malda, Patabeda, Sanaputuli, Kolmang, and Rusibenue has been detected. Over 20,000 metric tons of manganese ore and more than 1,200 metric tonnes of iron ore have been illegally extracted from these mines, with an estimated value exceeding Rs 37 crore.
On April 4, Sundargarh authorities discovered significant amounts of illegally mined coal in Telendihi revenue forest. Further probes uncovered unauthorized coal mining in Ratansara and Bhograkachhar forests, where illegally mined pits, coal dumps, and an unauthorized brick kiln with over 200,000 finished bricks were found in Bhograkachhar forest.
On April 16, a raid on the ACBPL unit at Kanika revealed over 10,000 tonnes of illegally stored coal on a separate company plot without authorization.
On April 18, Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena and Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia launched a high-level investigation into unregulated mining in the dense forests of Hemgiri block, amid concerns over environmental damage, revenue losses, and alleged administrative negligence from prior governments. They visited Telendihi, Bhograkachhar and Jamkani forests under Gopalpur range along with Aryan Coal Beneficiation Pvt Ltd (ACBPL) unit at Kanika.
Illegal coal mining has reportedly persisted for years in forested areas like Gopalpur, Telendihi, Ratansara, Jamkani, and Bhogra-Kachhar.
