The Odisha unit of BJP on Wednesday raked up the alleged plundering of mining resources by the Naveen Patnaik government and sought for a CBI probe into the Rs 9 lakh crore scam.

The party claimed that the state government looted Rs 9 lakh crore in a period spanning from 2002-2014.

Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly, Jaynarayan Mishra said the mining loot took place under the supervision of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

“The loot of mineral resources were carried out with the knowledge of Patnaik with administrative and legal coverage extended to the mafias who resorted to large-scale pilferage of mineral ores,” he told reporters.

“The norms and rules were flouted with impunity and mafias were allowed to go scot free to plunder the state exchequer. Sizeable numbers of mining leases were accorded in dense forest areas without the mandatory clearance from the ministry of environment and forest. Rivers, rivulets and water bodies bore the brunt of pollution because of illegal mining leases on the plots on the periphery of the water bodies,” he said, adding that fiscal irregularities perpetrated in the mining activities is estimated as Rs 8,97,443 crore.

Listing out the multiple forms of mining improprieties, Mishra said there was no bar on ore extraction ad it was free for all.

Out of the 192 mining leases, 176 of them are operational in dense forest areas. As many as 98 leases are bereft of mandatory clearance from the ministry of environment and forest, while 47 leases are without forest clearance. As many as 55 mining plots are affecting the rivers, tributaries, creeks and water inlets, he said.

The BJP leader further said excess extraction of mineral ores took place in around 75 iron ore and manganese mines. “What is more disturbing is that many of these leased out mining plots are in the close vicinity of elephant corridors and habitats. The mining activities are endangering the safety of elephants,” he said.

It is pertinent to note here that the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), constituted by the Supreme Court in 2014, had detected incriminating lapses in mining sectors in Odisha. The committee had found 102 of 187 iron and manganese ore mining lease holders did not have the requisite clearances. As per CEC report, 2,155 lakh million tonnes of iron and manganese ore had been extracted without environmental clearances.

Ironically, the saffron party has largely kept mum on the multi-dimensional loot of the mines excepting raking up issues on specific occasions. BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during the 2019 poll campaign, had dubbed the BJD government as corrupt, saying that corruption was rampant in allocation of mines in Odisha.