As Odisha accounts for nearly 44% of India's mineral wealth, Naveen Patnaik said the state has contributed its mineral wealth to the building of India's steel, power, mining and infrastructure sectors for decades. (Express file photo)Calling the passage of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) law in Parliament a “black day” for Odisha, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik on Saturday urged Odisha BJP MPs to seek reversal of the amendments.“The Bill was passed with less than ten minutes of discussion in the Lok Sabha, despite having provisions with far-reaching implications for the people of Odisha. This was not an ordinary piece of legislation. Odisha undoubtedly will be the worst affected by this legislation,” said Patnaik in a letter to BJP MPs.As Odisha accounts for nearly 44% of India’s mineral wealth, Patnaik, the former Odisha CM, said the state has contributed its mineral wealth to the building of India’s steel, power, mining and infrastructure sectors for decades.India stands taller and stronger today because of the immense contribution made by Odisha and her people, he added.Due to the amendment of the MMDR Act – passed by Parliament on August 13 — Patnaik said the estimated annual loss would be more than Rs 12,000 crore, leading to lakhs of crores of rupees over time.Must Read | On mines and minerals, Centre-state compromise is in tatters“But the bigger loss is that in a single legislative stroke the control over our own minerals and our mineral-bearing lands was taken away from us. And this happened under your watch,” he added.Patnaik, who earlier sought a special session of the state assembly to discuss the amendment’s impact on Odisha, said the law is an injustice to the state’s children and the youth, whose future is linked to the resources and opportunities of this State.Story continues below this ad“It is an injustice to the people of Odisha who bear the pollution, displacement, environmental degradation and the hazards and hardships of mining. And, above all, it is an injustice to the dream of an empowered Odisha, that has the confidence and resources to determine its own future,” he added.Calling the MPs the voice of Odisha in this highest forum of democracy, the BJD chief said the people of Odisha elected the MPs in good faith to protect and further their interests, but it’s a matter of concern that they voted in favour of the bill.Patnaik said the “arbitrary legislation” will have far-reaching adverse implications for the people of Odisha who put their trust in you.Earlier, former Union minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan criticised Patnaik for trying to mislead people over the MMDR law and said it would benefit Odisha.Sujit Bisoyi is a Special Correspondent with the Indian Express and covers Odisha. His interests are in politics, policy and people’s stories. He tweets at @bisoyisujit87 ... Read More