'We are now trying to find out the exact amount of ore lifted and who are the people responsible for this illegal acts,' he said.

However, Patnaik said it will take some time, and they have given a six-page preliminary report to the government Friday.

The vigilance department was asked to investigate last month after opposition parties alleged that large scale illegal mining was going on in the mineral rich Keonjhar district is going on in over 36 hectares area.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K.V. Singhdeo had moved an adjournment motion in the assembly July 10 alleging that a private company has been mining manganese in the region.

Although state Steel and Mines Minister Raghunath Mohanty described the allegation as baseless, the government a day later ordered the vigilance probe, after Singhdeo produced documentary evidences of the illegal mining.