Rs 24 Cr Fine Imposed On BJD Leader For Excess Mining In Odisha’s Nayagarh

Nayagarh: A penalty of Rs 24 crore has been imposed on a Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader for alleged excess mining at Kasia stone quarry under in Odisha’s Nayagarh district which he had taken on lease.

According to sources, Mining Officer-cum-Competent Authority (Minor Mineral), Nayagarh imposed Rs 24 crore on lessee Benudhar Pradhan for carrying out excess mining at hte stone quarry under Bhapur Tahsil in Nayagarh district.

The fine has been imposed over illegal mining at the quarry in the form of mining beyond the lease area and more than the limit prescribed in the mining plan.

Notably, a team from Bhubaneswar conducted a joint inspection that showed excess mining in the quarry leased out to Pradhan. He has been fined Rs 21.46 crore including TCS and penalty for outside lease area and Rs 2.74 crore for inside lease area excess mining of stone gross amounting to Rs 24.21 crore.

The Mining Officer has directed the leader to deposit the fine amount before October 20.

A senior forest department official said that the BJD leader has also been booked for violation of the Odisha Forest Act and Indian Forest Act. They have also booked a case under the Mining Act for excess volume extraction.

An official of SS Construction Company reportedly declined to comment saying that the case is currently pending before the High Court.