The illegal mining committed during 2006-11 in three districts of Karnataka has resulted in the state losing a revenue of Rs 3,414.45 crore and the government could recover only Rs 7.22 crore, a report by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India said.

In Chitradurga, Tumkur and Hospet divisions four lessees had extracted 1.47 million mt of iron ore valued at Rs 150.59 crore without the consent of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), the CAG report tabled in the Assembly said.

Report endorses Lokayukta findings on loss to the State exchequer

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has almost endorsed the Karnataka Lokayukta report on illegal iron ore mining and pegged the total loss due to illegal exports of ore at Rs 15,245 crore from 2003 to 2010. Besides, the CAG has estimated Rs 3414.45 crore loss to the State Exchequer due to “compliance deficiencies.” However, unlike the Lokayukta report, the supreme audit institution of India has not directly indicted any public servant.

The illegal mining committed during 2006-11 in three districts of Karnataka has resulted in the state losing a revenue of Rs 3,414.45 crore and the government could recover only Rs 7.22 crore, a report by Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India said.

In Chitradurga, Tumkur and Hospet divisions four lessees had extracted 1.47 million MT of iron ore valued at Rs 150.59 crore without the consent of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), the CAG report tabled in the Assembly said today. Mining of iron ore and stone quarrying in Karnataka was selected for the audit as they were two major contributors of revenue to the state in major and minor minerals.

Unlikely to be able to achieve its iron ore production target of 15 mn metric tonne for FY13

Sesa Goa, a Vedanta Group firm, is unlikely to achieve its iron ore production target of 15 million metric tonne for FY13 owing to the mining ban in Goa and the expiry of its lease in Karnataka. The company’s operations are currently in limbo due to the recent action by the Goa government and expiry of its lease in Karnataka.

Iron ore mining operations have been restarted in Karnataka's Bellary and Chitradurga districts, a year after these were suspended, following a Supreme Court directive. After securing all statutory approvals, two Category A mines have resumed mining, offering hope of regular iron ore supply to the ore-starved steel industry.

According to officials from the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries (Fimi), two mining lessees, R Praveen Chandra in Chitradurga and B Kumar Gowda in Bellary, have commenced mining. Nadeem Minerals, which has a mine in Bellary, is likely to restart mining next week. Together, these mines would bring about 1.5 million tonnes (mt) of iron ore to the auction platform in about two weeks.

From the production guidance of about 15 MT for 2012-13, it has produced 3.7 MT iron ore in the first half of the fiscal

Vedanta group firm Sesa Goa is likely to miss the production target of about 15 million tonne for the current fiscal due to mining ban in Goa, a senior company official said today. "Obviously not. We can not give you any number at this time," Sesa Goa's Managing Director P K Mukherjee said when asked whether the company will be able to achieve its guidance after the imposition of ban.

Firms must shell out part of earnings for reclamation, rehab works

The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) is likely to place its Social and Ecological Development Plan for restoring the environment and human habitations in the mining devastated districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur, before the Supreme Court on November 2. If the apex court gives its nod, Rs 30,000 crore will be spent over 10 to 15 years for improving the living conditions of the people as well as restoring the environment in 130 villages located in the buffer zone of nine taluks in these districts

The monitoring committee constituted by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court on Friday gave its consent to three mining firms, which operated in Bellary and Chitradurga, to resume mining.

Official sources said the committee comprising three members - H R Srinivasa, Director, Department of Mines & Geology, Dipak Sarmah, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, and U V Singh, Chief Conservator of Forest - held a meeting in Bangalore where the final clearance was given to the three firms. The decision taken by panel will be placed before the CEC.

Central Empowered Committee recommends setting up SPV to implement environment conservation plan in mining districts of Bellary, Chitradurga & Tumkur

The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) of the Supreme Court has recommended a Rs 30,000 crore project to undertake environment conservation and socio-economic development in the three districts of Karnataka, where rampant illegal mining has devastated the environment. It has finalised a plan for setting up of a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to implement the plan.

Five mining leases with a combined capacity of 2.56 mt are waiting for final approval to restart mining in Bellary & Chitradurga districts

The resumption of iron ore mining in Karnataka is likely to be delayed as none of the Category A mines is able to secure all statutory approvals stipulated by the Supreme Court. The apex court had lifted ban on 18 Category A mines to resume mining subject to fulfilment of stringent conditions in its order passed on September 3. The order followed the acceptance of a report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which had recommended relaxation of the prohibition as they had done the least harm to the environment.