The report blows the lid off the mining scam and says this rampant illegal activity has “perhaps may have no other parallel in the country." These mines, operating in Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts of Karnataka thrived because of the “blatant connivance of the officials concerned and public functionaries."
The report observed “there has been all round sharp degradation of environment with all its attendant problems because of the unsatiable greed of a few."
Of the 166 mining leases surveyed, the CEC found that at least 123 were involved in illegal mining. The SC will now take up the case on Friday.
The panel divided the companies involved in mining in these three districts in A, B and C categories. The committee has not only recommended cancellation of licenses of 49 companies (in category C), but also vouched for an exemplary penalty and compensation depending upon the level of illegalities found.
Of the 166 mining leases, 45 were placed in category A where no illegality was found. The panel recommended that they may be allowed to resume mining operations subject to several conditions and that iron ore becoming available from them is only used for steel plants and associated industries in Karnataka and adjoining states. Read the full report here.
Source: by Mayank Aggarwal, DNA, New Delhi.
