New Delhi, April 21: The Supreme Court today sought response of the Centre and Odisha government on a PIL alleging large-scale illegal mining activities in Odisha.

A three-judge bench of Justices A.K. Patnaik, S.S. Nijjar and Ibrahim Kalifulla also asked the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to give a report on the PIL filed by Common Cause, an NGO, through counsel Prashant Bhushan and Pranav Sachdeva.

The apex court said the CEC would give a report to it with the list of mines involved in the alleged illegalities, and listed the matter for further hearing to April 28.

The counsel cited the reported findings of the Justice M.B. Shah Commission that admitted the existence of massive illegal mining.

It also stated that such mining activities were causing huge financial and environmental loss to the country.

The NGO while seeking a direction to the Centre and Odisha government to stop forthwith all illegal mining in the state wanted a thorough investigation by SIT or CBI under the supervision of the apex courtinto illegal mining in Odisha.