Odisha merchant miners demand operational clearance.

The merchant miners in Odisha have resented the 'discriminatory' approach of the state government, which allowed eight mines of Tata Steel, Steel Authority India (SAIL) and Odisha Mining Corporation
(OMC) to resume work while leaving the operation at rest 18 mines, which were closed because of a Supreme Court order, remain suspended.

Mining lobby body Society of Geo-scientists and Allied Technologists (SGAT) demanded that the state government should allow operation at the rest 18 merchant mines by invoking special provisions mentioned in the mining laws, as it has already allowed standalone mine of state-owned OMC to operate despite restrictions imposed by the Supreme Court.

BS