The Department of Ports has taken measures to check illegal export of iron ore from Karwar and Belekeri ports in Karnataka.

The department has made it clear that stock will not be cleared for export unless valid licences are produced and clearances are obtained from competent authorities.

SALEM: Officials seized nine tractors that were engaged in illegal sand mining from a tank at Nagiapatti Pudukuttai near Thammampatti here on Wednesday.

Revenue sources said that based on information that illegal sand quarrying was going on in a PWD tank, officials led by Gengavalli Tahsildhar Selvaraj seized the tractors. The seized vehicles were handed over to the Attur police.

THENI: A total of 18 wells sunk on Mullaperiyar river bed by private people for irrigation between Arapadi Thevanpatti and Vaigai dam were closed to prevent illegal tapping of water from the river and to streamline drinking water supply to rural and urban areas in the district, said Collector P. Muthuveeran.

Hit by the ban on loading and unloading of iron ore in certain goods sheds in Orissa, the Indian Railways had stated that the State Government should devise a

EVEN as civil rights alarmists play the victim card on behalf of Maoists by describing the Dantewada massacre as a

Angered by illegally mined iron ore finding its way out of Orissa through the railways, the Mines Ministry today demanded that the transport monolith must evolve an effective mechanism to check illegal movement of the mineral through its network.

Kakinada, April 4: Over 300 persons in Seelamvaripalem and Sriramapuram of U. Kottapalli mandal and leaders and activists of the Telugu Desam party staged a protest on Sunday against the illegal transportation of sand by some people with the help of Congress leaders at sand reaches which come under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) in East Godavari.

TORNAGAL (BELLARY DISTRICT): Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said that he was not aware of the letter written by B.K. Handique, Union Minister for Mines and Geology, suggesting to the State to seek a thorough investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged illegal mining activities in Bellary district.

Order promulgated in Keonjhar district.

Santanu Sanyal

Did the Orissa Government do the right thing when it promulgated early last month the prohibitory order under Section 144Cr PC in the mining areas in Keonjhar district and thus bringing to a total halt mining, storage and transportation of iron ore in that area?

The Additional Solicitor General of India does not think so.

P Vaidyanathan Iyer, Priyadarshi Siddhanta

: With no action by the Karnataka government against the alleged illegal mining in the Bellary-Hospet-Sandhur belt