IN 10 YEARS 10 LAKH CRORE SWALLOWED

IN 10 YEARS 10 LAKH CRORE SWALLOWED 19/12/2011

ODISHA: Around Rs 10 lakh crore has been looted within 10 years in mines, forests, water, land, PDS, coal, NREGA, road and infrastructure in the state.

Basically mining scam became rampant in the State during Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government, veteran trade union leader Mayadhar Nayak informed at a press meet here on Sunday.
He said that he submitted a factual report regarding mining irregularities and plunder of minerals in Odisha before the Shah Commission during the panel’s recent visit to the mining areas to probe allegations on illegal mining.

Nayak said that corruption is at its peak in the mine areas of Sukinda valley, Baula and Kathapal, adding that out of 602 mines in the state, most of the mine areas are in the clutches of mafias.

He alleged that political leaders, bureaucrats and mines mafias have looted precious iron and chromite ores to the tune of hundreds of crores under the nose of the government.

Illegal export of ores from the state to other countries was not the work of a few but of a wide network active behind the scene, he pointed out.

SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA
BUREAU CHIEF, THESE DAYS,
ODISHA