Collectors of coal bearing districts told to follow Goa report

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha government today asked collectors of four coal-bearing districts to take action to curb illegal mining by taking a cue from the Justice M B Shah Commission of Inquiry's report on illegal mining of iron ore and manganese in Goa, official sources said.

The steel and mines department, in separate letters to the district collectors of Angul, Sambalpurm Jharsuguda and Sundergarh, said the administration should also keep vigil on coal mining.

"Though the (Justice Shah) report is specific to other minerals, observations and recommendations made by the commission and formation of task force with regular reports system would be relevant and applicable to the coal sector also," A K Bhalla, Joint Secretary in Ministry of Coal had said earlier in a letter to Odisha Chief Secretary B K Patnaik.

Accepting the Ministry's letter, the state government told the director of mines and deputy directors of mines to keep a track on coal mining also.