Members of the Central Empowered Committee visited Tumkur on Tuesday and held discussions on the impact of mining on drinking water, education, health and agriculture, among other sectors.

Deputy Commissioner R.K. Raju urged the team, comprising C.S. Joshi, Shakti Singh Chauhan and S. Ravi, to allocate more funds to the district for rehabilitation and restoration works in areas affected by mining. Though the area affected by mining in Tumkur district was larger than that in Chitradurga district, fund allocation for rehabilitation and restoration had not been done accordingly, he said. He said Rs. 10,000 crore had been allocated to Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts for rehabilitation and restoration works to be carried out in 10 years.

Mineral Enterprises, the only company to secure all clearances, suspends ops

Bangalore-based Mineral Enterprises Limited (MEL) has suspended mining operations at its iron ore mine in Chitradurga district after its lease period expired on October 6. The company has managed to produce 35,000 tonnes in one month. MEL was the first company to get all the statutory clearances to restart mining in Karnataka. With the suspension of mining by MEL, the mining has once again come to a standstill in Karnataka as 11 other mines in the Category A are yet to secure all statutory approvals.

Category B leases were found to have done illegal mining outside the sanctioned areas up to 10% of the lease areas

The Supreme Court of India has directed 63 Category B mining leases in Karnataka to pay compensation for illegal mining outside the sanctioned area before allowing them to restart operations. In its latest order issued on October 1, the apex court has accepted the recommendations of amicus curiae Shyam Divan. The three-member forest bench headed by judge Aftab Alam passed directions as an absolute first step before considering resumption of operations by Category B mines.

The Supreme Court has ordered the setting up of an expert committee to ascertain the compensation to be given by mining lease holders in Karnataka for illegal extraction of iron ores and consequent

The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) informed the Supreme Court on Friday that mining operations in 63 iron ore leases falling in category B in Karnataka may be allowed to be resumed after fulfilment of certain conditions.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appointed amicus curiae in the case, told the forest bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam that the iron ore mines falling into category B can be allowed to resume quarrying activists after completion of the reclamation and rehabilitation (R&R) work and paying appropriate compensation for the massive ecological loss caused by them due to largescale illegal mining.

Losses incurred in all sectors including road and water bodies

It is a well-known fact that mining has been detrimental to virtually every aspect of life in Chitradurga and the district administration has now come out with a report quantifying the loss to the social, educational and health sectors. Non-stop mining, both legal and illegal, for two decades has had a debilitating effect not only on the roads and water bodies in the district, but also on agriculture, horticulture, dairy farming and other livelihood activities of the population in the district.

Iron ore miners are contesting the levy of a forest development tax by the forest department in Karnataka, but the levy has been incredibly beneficial for the exchequer’s coffers.

Selling Karnataka’s forest produce like grass, amla, bark, lac, honey, silk cocoons and bamboo to industries attracts a 12 per cent forest development tax or FDT. Forest officials also levy the tax on the mining of iron ore from reserve forest areas, which happens in Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts of Karnataka.

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.

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.