After Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh objected to Karnataka’s decision to allow mining in reserved forest areas and asked the State to get prior approval from it on any proposal in this regard, Karanataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa has said it was not his State’s intention to bypass the Centre.
“Mr. Yeddyurappa has written to me, saying it was not his intention to bypass the central government,” Mr. Ramesh told reporters here on the sidelines of a State-level meet on climate change.
“Within 48 hours of the Karnataka cabinet taking the decision, I had written to that government after all party MPs approached me,” he said.
The decision was not taken in consultation with the Environment Ministry, which is the final authority for allowing diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes.
A number of MPs from different parties in Karnataka had met Mr. Ramesh in Parliament recently and expressed concern over the decision of the State government to allow mining in reserved areas.
