Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has asked the Vigilance Department to probe the alleged mining scam in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.

As per the direction of the Chief Minister, the Vigilance Department constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the mining scam under Hemgiri and Koida tehsils in Sundargarh.

Earlier, Steel and Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena had visited Hemgiri and Koida tehsils and collected detailed information regarding the alleged mining scam.

Jena had submitted a report in this regard to the Chief Minister.

“The state government is committed to check irregulates in mining operations in Odisha. Accordingly, the Vigilance Department has been asked to probe the mining scam in Sundargarh,” said the Chief Minister’s Office in a statement today.

The government will take appropriate action against the people involved in irregularities in mining operations in Sundargarh, it added.   

As per reports, the mining mafia have illegally extracted as many as 9,843 tonnes of coal from at least 22 mines at Gopalpur, Ratnasora and Bhogarakachar villages under Hemgiri tehsil in Sundargarh. The market value of the extracted coal is stated to be around Rs 2 crore.

Similarly, some people have illegally extracted iron and manganese ores from at least 50 mines at Malada, Patabeda, Sanaputuli, Kolmanga and Rusibenua under Koida tehsil.

The mining mafia have illegally extracted over 20,000 tonnes of manganese ore and 1,200 tonnes of iron ore worth Rs 37 crore from mines under Koida block, reports said.