Keonjhar:  The Keonjhar Collector today issued warrant against six mines owners on the charges of illegal mining and violation of environmental norms as per Odisha Public Demands Recovery (OPDR) Act (1962).

Collector Ashish Thakre directed the Tehsildar and police to confiscate movable and immovable property of six mines owners within a month.

The warrant against the six mines including SD Sharma, BPME, Basudev Agrawal, BK Mohanty, BD Patnaik and Narayani & Sons was issued for failing to pay penalties before deadline on account of illegal mining and violation of environmental norms.

Worth mentioning, the Supreme Court, on the basis of the report of Justice MB Shah Commission, had issued a directive to collect penalty of Rs 6,350 crore from 23 leaseholders of 31 mines in the district. In this regard, a certificate case was filed in the Keonjhar District Magistrate Court on May 24, 2018 for confiscation of property of the errant mining leaseholders.