‘Set up panel to advice action on illegal mining in Karnataka’

Congress government has disappointed people: Hiremath

Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS), which is fighting illegal mining in the State, has suggested that the government set up a panel of experts to give advice on initiating action against those involved and those who abetted illegal mining causing loss to the Exchequer.

S.R. Hiremath, samudaya president, said that the people had expected much from the new government, considering the Congress fight against illegal mining and the Padayatra taken up by Siddaramaiah from Bangalore to Bellary, when he was Leader of Opposition in the Assembly.

“But the Congress government has disappointed the people, as there is no ‘perceptible’ action against the wrong-doers,” he rued.

The government had taken action in isolated cases only such as extending the Central Bureau of Investigation probe to cover nine ports from where ore was exported. “The government has failed to act against politicians and high-ranking officials allegedly involved in or those who abetted illegal mining,” he regretted. Mr. Hiremath said that the CBI probe ordered does not cover illegally mined ore supplied to domestic units owned by corporate giants. “More importantly, the government has to entrust the CBI with the investigation of the alleged illegalities and criminalities in Mysore Minerals Limited,” he said.

He regretted that the government failed to keep its word by handing over the probe into Mysore Minerals Limited to the Lokayukta “whose credentials itself is questionable” and not the CBI.

“As senior bureaucrats, politicians and corporate giants are involved in the scam, only a CBI probe can offer justice,” he said.

At some point in time, the samudaya was happy as there was some action after 12 years of inaction by successive governments. But, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too had disappointed people as he had failed to rise to the expectations of the people. Instead, the government was in a tearing hurry to order a probe into the finances of the samudaya, he said. He, however, welcomed the probe stating that the samudaya’s finances were fully transparent and lawful.