Bhubaneswar, Dec 7: The BJD government's alleged favour to illegal miners has come to the fore once again with the Supreme Court directing the Odisha government to file an affidavit informing what actions taken on its August 14 order.

The top court has asked the government to intimate through an affidavit in two weeks if the properties of illegal miners have been confiscated and if fines have been collected as per its order.

The Supreme Court had on August 14 directed the State government to collect fines from those who are doing illegal mining activities.

Earlier the State government informed the Supreme Court that a total penalties of Rs 2,622 crore, excluding interest, have not been collected from the leaseholders.

The State government collected Rs 343 crore from 26 illegal miners.

In its direction, the apex court has specifically asked the Odisha government how much it has collected from the leaseholders and by when all the penalties will be collected and the properties of the illegal miners will be confiscated.

It has been alleged for long that illegal mine leaseholders are being protected by the State government. Many have even suspected that the BJD Government is fighting elections with this money being collected from illegal mining.

In Jajpur district's Dharmashala, fines amounting to Rs 300 crore is still to be collected from the leaseholders.

According to locals, illegal mining activities are going on in Dharmashala under the very nose of the local MLA Pranaba Balabanta Ray and he is being protected by the top brass in the BJD Government.

"Blackstones worth hundreds of crores of rupees from Bajabati, Rahatpur, Bichhakhandi and Aruha hills have been stolen. Government officials and People at the top level in the Government are involved in in illegal mining. So the State government is not taking any action against the illegal miners," alleged a local resident.

Inaction against the illegal mines leaseholders has also made many suspect that the BJD may be using the the illegally souced money in fighting elections.

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