Bhubaneswar, April 18: The 26 mines, where operations have been closed for the past three years, will be reopened within three months.

The state government today asked the leaseholders to execute supplementary lease deeds with it to operate the mines. Steel and mines secretary R.K. Sharma said: "We have issued orders for lease extension following the recommendations from the inter-departmental panel. It has received the nod of the chief minister. The miners will execute the lease deeds within three months."

This decision followed a court directive, which had asked to extend the operations of these leases before April 27. But, it is mandatory for the government to furnish forest clearance and mining plan before the execution of the deeds. They have to comply with the Supreme Court order to be pronounced for the final disposal of the cases related to these mines.