Bhubaneswar, Nov 9 (IANS) Orissa has ordered the suspension of work in 69 mines after the operators failed to produce documents to show their mining activities were legal, a senior mines department official said Monday.
The state mines department served notices in October to the mine operators across the state in a phased manner, asking them to produce necessary documents so they could continue operations.

“We have already served notices to about 69 mines. They include iron ore mines, manganese and lime stones mines,” Director of Mines J.R. Patnaik told IANS.

“The suspension notices were served in the last three-four days after they failed to do so,” he said.

The mines which have been served suspension notices are located mostly in the district of Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj and Sundergarh.

The state government had last month set up a task force headed by the chief secretary to check illegal mining.

The mines department served the notices to operators after it was asked by the task force to verify documents of about 600 mine operators in the state following reports that many were operating without valid mining and environmental clearances.