The Odisha government’s vigilance department has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe a large-scale mining scam in the mineral-rich Hemgiri and Koida tehsils of Sundergarh district.
The SIT was constituted after it was found that mining mafias had illegally extracted 9,843 tonnes of coal from 22 mines in Hemgiri—worth around ₹2 crore—and over 20,000 tonnes of manganese ore and 1,200 tonnes of iron ore—worth ₹37 crore—from nearly 50 mines in Koida.
The scam came to light in early April when the Sundergarh district administration and mining officials discovered extensive illegal extraction and large quantities of ore left abandoned in forest areas.
The inspection revealed unauthorised mining pits, illegal coal dumps, and signs of rampant extraction. In their report, the ministers flagged serious concerns regarding environmental degradation, massive revenue losses, and alleged administrative negligence under the previous government.
