Ranchi, Aug. 16: A recent Supreme Court directive has injected the Jharkhand government with fresh enthusiasm to recover penalty running into thousands of crores from 10 companies, including a PSU that heads the list for excessive mineral extraction over and above permitted limits in West Singhbhum's Saranda and adjoining areas.

On August 2, a Supreme Court order directed Odisha to recover 100 per cent penalty by defaulter companies latest by December 31, 2017, for illegal mining and extraction of minerals above prescribed limits. Only after complying with statutory requirements and paying compensation and other dues in full can the mining lease holders resume extraction, the apex court order stipulated.

In Jharkhand's West Singhbhum, the glare of excessive extraction of ore - mostly iron and manganese - is on companies such as SAIL, Shah Brothers, Rungta Mines Ltd, Usha Martin, Orissa Manganese and Minerals Ltd (Adhunik), among others, an earlier calculation totalling the penalty to Rs 7,598 crore, with SAIL (Rs 3,470 crore) and Shah Brothers (Rs 1,365 crore) claiming the lion's share.

, Jharkhand mines department secretary Sunil Kumar Barnwal today said these sums would have to be reworked after the Supreme Court order.

"Earlier, we calculated dues to the tune of Rs 7,598 crore from 199495 to February 2016 but the Supreme Court order says it should be done from 2000-01 till date. So, the sum will change. We asked West Singhbhum district administration to calculate afresh and forward us the amount for further action. In 1012 days, we should get it after which we will send payment notices to parties concerned. The Supreme Court set December 31 as the deadline but we should try to recover it before the time limit," Barnwal said.

West Singhbhum DC Arva Rajkamal said they got the directive today. "We have begun groundwork for fresh calculations and are referring to our old records and logbooks," Rajkamal said.

Last year, the state mines department submitted a demand of Rs 7,598 crore from 10 companies accused of excess mining to the apex court constituted Central Empowered Committee looking into mining cases.

But, a mines department source said companies thereafter went to various tribunals and got legal stays citing the ongoing case in the Supreme Court on Odisha. Then, Jharkhand had no other option but to wait and watch.