Most clearances are learnt to have been granted during 2007-09, when PM Manmohan Singh held the environment portfolio

In a major crackdown on illegal mining in mineral-rich Goa, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) on Wednesday suspended the environment clearances of all 93 leases in the state, asking the mine owners to file their documents. Some of the projects came under attack for illegal mining belong to Dempo Mining Corp, Emco Goa, Mineira National, Sesa Goa, V M Salgaocar & Bro and Chowgule & Co. Many of these clearances are learnt to have been granted during 2007-09, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh held the environment portfolio.

Needs many factors to be sorted out at the same time, from the Naxal threat to poor rail links.

5L Truck Trips To Transport Mineral To Belekeri Port Went Unnoticed: Panel

The Supreme Court will start proceedings in the case against some companies involved in the illegal transportation and export of iron and manganese ore from Belekeri Port near Karwar on Friday.

Founder chairman of National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR) S R Hiremath stated that during the proceedings, a few more skeletons are likely to tumble out of the cupboard. Four major mineral export companies operating from Belekere port are involved in the large quantum of illegal export of ore to Singapore, Hong Kong and other nations.

Hundreds of farmers and their families Byatarayanapura MLA Krishna Byre Gowda, on the outskirts of the city, staged a protest on Wednesday against State government’s decision to lease out part of 32 acres of land acquired for construction of Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) to a private developer.

Assembling at the acquired land, off Bellary Road, under the leadership of Byatarayanapura MLA Krishna Byre Gowda, the farmers raised slogans against the government for its “controversial” decision.

Verdict of 2010 related to applications for leases

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its order on maintainability of a host of petitions filed by the Union and Karnataka governments, as well as mining companies seeking review of a 2010 apex court verdict. The verdict had directed the Karnataka government to consider afresh within four months the applications of companies vying for lease of iron ore mines in the Kumaraswamy range.

Nearly 12 mines have to get various statutory approvals, including reclamation plan

The Supreme Court has given a nod to 18 iron ore mines to resume operations in Karnataka, but only one of them fulfills the conditions required to start the operations. As many as 12 mines have to get various statutory approvals, including rehabilitation and reclamation plan, forest and environment clearances and permission from the Departments of Mines at the State and the Centre. The process could take at least a month and in some cases one year, depending on the licences required to resume mining.

The steel mills might have to wait for six months at least as 12 of the 18 mining leases still need to secure statutory nods

The removal of ban on iron ore mining in Karnataka as directed by the Supreme Court on Monday is unlikely to bring immediate relief to the ore-starved steel industry. The steel mills might have to wait for up to six months at least to normalise their operations as 12 of the 18 mining leases in Category A still need to secure several statutory approvals before starting their productions.

After a ban of more than a year, the Supreme Court on Monday allowed iron ore extraction on 18 leases in Karnataka but warned that any violation of norms could result in a revocation of the permiss