Renjda mineral stacking issue: Jual demands legal action post IBM report

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bonaigarh, Dec 20:

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram today demanded legal action in the illegal stacking of iron ore at the Renjda railway siding in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.

Oram made the demand following confirmation of presence of iron ore of 2400 cubic metres underneath the earth at the Renjda railway siding by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) in its probe report on the allegation of illegal stacking of iron ore at the site.

“I demand that the state government take legal action in the matter. On my return to Delhi I will speak to Union Steel & Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on the IBM report. I will discuss the issue with the Central government and see to it what steps can be taken in future in this matter,” stated Oram to reporters today in his reactions on the IBM report.

The Union Minister said the IBM report has confirmed his claim. He demanded action against the concerned persons. He has further demanded that action should be initiated against the minister who had opposed his claim after he had brought it to light.

The IBM has submitted its report on its probe into the illegal stacking of iron ore at the railway siding at Renjda.  The report has cited of presence of iron ore in an approximate area of 2400 cubic metres.

According to the report, Koida DDM and railway authorities had shown the IBM team a site where iron ore was dumped. The dump has a size of 80 mts in length, 20 mts in breadth with a depth of 1.5 mts.

The report stated that since the upper crust of the dump was very hard it was difficult to dig it manually and hence in reality it was not feasible to estimate exactly what quantity of iron ore remained stacked underneath at the site.

Similarly, the report states that out of the 16 samples sent for test from the site, seven have tested to be containing high grade iron ore.

The IBM in its report has raised objections to the role of railway authorities at the site. Railway authorities had claimed that since loading and unloading of iron ore had been taking place at the site since 2005, it had accumulated into a dump. While railway authorities had claimed before the IBM probe team that the iron ore lay within the area of the railway siding, they had not given it in writing.

Though iron ore was found to be stacked outside the area of the railway siding, no permission had been taken for that, the report added.

Besides, there were complaints against Raj Kumar Dadhichi proprietor of Mata Dadhimati Transporter engaged in loading and unloading of iron ore of having stacked iron ore stolen from Kalta mines of SAIL at the site. Dadhichi did not turn up at the site during the investigation despite him being served with notice in advance to remain present by the IBM, the report said.

Similarly, the report cites of large-scale irregularities by  Agrasen Sponge Pvt Ltd of which Raj Kumar Dadhichi is a director.

It may be mentioned here that Oram had a sought probe by IBM into the reports of illegal minerals stacked near Renjda railway siding in Sundargarh district.

Unhappy over the local administration’s slack attitude towards the unclaimed minerals worth crores of rupees lying near Renjda railway siding in the Koida mines, Oram had written a letter to Tomar on October 8, this year requesting his ministerial colleague to send a team of IBM officials to probe into the incident and initiate appropriate action.

Following Oram’s letter to Tomar a team of the IBM on October 28 started its investigation into the illegal mineral stacking allegation at Renjda railway siding.