The Supreme Court on Friday made it clear that it would not allow illegal mining in the Karnataka mines, even as the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) informed the court that out of 99 leases taken up for survey, work had been stopped in 22 mines including the one run by a public sector undertaking.
On the directions of the Forest Bench comprising Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia and Justices Aftab Alam and K.S. Radhakrishnan, the CEC conducted a survey in Bellary district to ascertain the extent of illegal mining and whether lease holders had exceeded the limit.
During the resumed hearing on Friday, amicus curiae Shyam Divan (for the CEC), referred to the fresh report filed by the committee on July 4 explaining the work undertaken by it.
As of now the survey had been completed in 55 out of 95 mines and the remaining ones would be covered by August 15. A little more time would be required to complete the survey in respect of 4 mines of PSUs.
The report said that by using the details of the field survey and scanned and digitised image of the sanctioned lease sketch, the existing boundary, the area under illegal mining in the encroached area was being determined.
The CJI told counsel: “We don't want a situation that by means of our ban order there is shortage in steel industry and economy was affected.” Counsel Prashant Bhushan said as all these mines were exporting iron ore, the ban would not affect the steel industry. The CJI said that since it was a serious matter, he wanted Attorney-General G.E. Vahanvati to be present on the next date of hearing.
The CEC, in its report submitted on April 15, slammed the Karnataka government for allowing large-scale illegal mining, particularly in Bellary district, in connivance with officials and public representatives.
It said that from 2003-04 to 2009-1010, a total of 304.91 lakh metric tonnes of iron ore had been exported without valid permits. Further 71.28 lakh metric tonnes was illegally exported in 2009-10 alone.
“At a conservative rate of Rs. 5,000 per metric tonne, the nominal value of the illegally exported iron ore from Karnataka comes to Rs. 15,245 crore. These figures starkly highlight the massive scale on which illegal mining was going on in Karnataka.”
