The Justice MB Shah Commission on illegal mining has recommended that iron and manganese ore miners of Jharkhand be asked to disgorge ₹14,403 crore and ₹138 crore, respectively, for environmental violations.

The value attributed to illegal mining is only on the basis of Environment Clearances under EIA Notifications. The Commission, set up by the UPA Government, said the value would be higher had factors such as consent to operate, production without mining plan, and forest clearance been factored in.

In its first report on illegal mining in Jharkhand — BusinessLine has seen the report — the Commission said that despite a delay in renewal of the mining licence by the Jharkhand Government, miners continued to exploit the area leased to them without fresh green approvals.

The Commission found illegal production in 26 iron and manganese ore leases. These leases include iron ore mines of, among others, Tata Steel, Steel Authority of India Ltd, Rungta Mines, Usha Martin, Rameshwar Jute Mills, and Singhbhum Minerals Co.

The Shah Commission also noted that the Indian Bureau of Mines had approved schemes to increase production irrationally in certain mining clusters.

Earlier reports

The Commission, which was denied an extension by the Congress-led UPA regime, had submitted its first report on illegal mining in Jharkhand on November 26, 2013.

The then Government had asked the stakeholders — the State Government and the companies — to send their comments by December 26.

The Commission’s two earlier reports on mining in Odisha and Goa had also faced delays as the Centre took its own time to study the findings.

Also, the Centre had informed the Supreme Court in January that it cannot share the Commission’s findings on the illegal mining in Jharkhand and Odisha as the report had to be first looked into by Parliament.

Cabinet nod

The four-volume Jharkhand report now needs a Cabinet nod before it can be tabled in Parliament.

According to official sources, the Ministry of Mines is ready with an Action Taken Report on the Commission’s earlier reports (including illegal mining in Odisha).

Official sources said that the report has to be tabled in the current session of Parliament.

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