CUTTACK | Apr 30, 2015: The Odisha government on Wednesday informed the Orissa High Court that it has decided to extend the lease validity period of 18 iron and manganese ore mines under the MMDR Amendment Act, 2015, which were shut down since May last year following a Supreme Court order.

This information came in the form of an affidavit filed by Steel and Mines Department Additional Secretary in response to an order passed by the High Court on March 25 this year. The affidavit also said that all the leases have also been intimated to execute the supplementary lease deed within a period of three months.

The High Court had asked the government to implement the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015, and follow the direction of the Centre permitting operation to the parties who are entitled for extension of term of lease in terms of the Ordinance by April 27.

The HC order had come during the joint hearing of at least 24 writ petitions filed by lease holders, including Odisha Manganese and Minerals Ltd., K. N. Ram, Mesco, AMTC, KMC, Freegrade, Rungta, B. I. Co., H. G. Pandya, R. P. Sao, KJS Ahluwalia, Kaypee Enterprise, Avin Jain, Tarini Minerals and Narayani Sons having 26 mines.

Additional Secretary Sundar Lal Seal in his affidavit also informed the High Court that since the validity period of eight leases had lapsed prior to coming into force of the Amendment Act the government has tentatively decided to refuse extension of these leases. “These leases are not eligible for extension as per the provision made under Section 8A(9) of the Amendment Act,” the government affidavit said.

These eight mines are Sonpathali and Tentulidihi Manganese Mines of OMM, Jalahuri & Manganese Mines, Jalahuri & Khondabondha and Jururu & Jalahuri mines of KMC, Dalpahar of Avin Jain, Jururi Iron Ore Mines of Tarini Minerals and Suruguturia Iron Ore mines of Narayani Sons. All these lease holders in their writ petitions had moved the High Court separately praying to quash the cabinet decision of January 5, 2015, in which the State government had decided to auction the mineral resources by pushing an ordinance irrespective of the fact that all trades relating to mineral resources are governed by MMDR Act, which is a Central Act.

(Source: http://www.thehindu.com/)