Sundargarh: Maoist fear likely to hold team back

ROURKELA: The Justice MB Shah Commission may skip Koida mining sector in Sundargarh district following the Maoist threat and non-motorable roads. The district administration, however, is leaving nothing to chance and ready to act on short notice if the members stick to their proposed visit on Saturday.Earlier, the commission members met top administrative and police officials of Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts, on Thursday. The commission had all praises for Keonjhar SP Asish Singh and Rourkela SP Himanshu Lal for a visible check on illegal mining.Significantly, the Keonjhar Police nabbed 775 persons and booked four others under the rigorous National Security Act, seized over two lakh tonnes of iron ore, 9,082 tonnes of manganese and 350 transport vehicles and registered 240 cases, in the last two years.Not to be left behind, the Rourkela Police have arrested 92 persons and seized over 19,000 tonnes of iron ores and 34 vehicles, in the last six months.The commission also sought to know steps taken by the mining, forest and pollution control authorities to regulate illegal mining operations, reasons for closure of majority of mines, modalities for granting mining leases and total mineral production in last three years.Justice Shah lauded introduction of monitoring technologies, including remote sensing system at mines, computerised check gates and suggested posting of latest on-line information regarding mining operations.