Former Minister B. Ramanath Rai on Saturday alleged that relatives of a ruling party MLA were indulging in illegal bauxite extraction in Mudipu and surrounding areas in the district, thereby causing huge loss to the State exchequer.
He told reporters that those engaged in the illegal extraction were using permits given for laterite stone extraction at Ganjimutt in Mudipu, Balepuni, Innoli, and surrounding areas. Along with the relatives of the MLA, people from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala too were involved, he said.
Misuse of the permit given for Ganjimutt in Badaga Yedapadavu village was known to the MLA as well as the district administration. The Mangaluru Assistant Commissioner, who led a raid on illegal extraction at Mudipu, was abruptly transferred by the government, Mr. Rai said. Comparing it to the Ballari mining mafia, he demanded a high-level probe.
Asked to name the MLA, Mr. Rai said the probe would bring out the names. District Congress president K. Harish Kumar and others were present.
‘Not my relatives’
Responding to Mr. Rai’s charges, Bantwal MLA Rajesh U. Naik, who has permit for laterite stone extraction in Ganjimutt, said he had stopped a year ago as the royalty was steeply increased. “Those engaged in illegal extraction at Mudipu belong to another religion. How could they be my relatives? It is Mr. Rai’s imagination,” he said, adding they must be relatives of the Mangaluru MLA.
He told The Hindu that those engaged in illegal extraction of bauxite at Mudipu now bought laterite stones from him at the Ganjimutt block earlier. Later, they stopped.
Regarding the transfer of Mangaluru AC (Madan Mohan C.), Mr. Naik said he was the one representing to the Chief Minister the other day to cancel the transfer order and retain him in Mangaluru.
