Despite a halt on iron ore mining in Karnataka since July last year, the state government has earned a royalty revenue of Rs270 crore, about 62 per cent of the total royalty earnings in the last financial year. With two more months in the current financial year, royalty revenues are likely to go up further.

Mining activity came to a halt in July, when the Supreme Court ordered the closure of mining and transportation of iron ore in Bellary district. Subsequently, on August 26 the apex court also ordered closure of mining in Chitradurga and Tumkur districts.

Wants cancellation of 49 iron ore leases, penalties on others

The panel appointed a year earlier by the Supreme Court to probe illegal mining in Karnataka has made several recommendations in its final report, with far-reaching implications. The final report was given to the SC on Friday.

The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), appointed by the Supreme Court to conduct a macro-level environment impact assessment study report of Bellary district in Karnataka in

Miners hope to resume operations by month-end.

The Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee, which is supervising the electronic auction of iron ore in Karnataka, has decided to put up 4 million tonnes (mt) of ore for bids in October. Of this, 2 mt would be auctioned tomorrow. A stockpile of 25 mt has been lying at various mines in the state. Tomorrow’s auction will the third one. A total of 1.24 mt was sold through the two auctions in September .

The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) has recommended an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into alleged illegal activities in Bellary district of Karnatka where Associated Mining Company (AMC) and NMDC Ltd hold mining leases.

The Karnataka government, which is in the thick of controversy over acquisition of land for several big-ticket investors, is in no mood to accept certain changes proposed in the new Land Acquisitio

The Karnataka government is still looking at acquiring land in Halligudi village of Gadag district for South Korean steel maker Posco’s proposed Rs 32,300-crore plant. Last month it had said it would not acquire land forcibly to set up the plant.

Iron and steel manufacturers in South India, who are facing severe shortage of raw materials, will be ‘totally devastated’ with a complete halt on mining, said industry sources.