The State Cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to provide drinking water to the residents of Anekal and the Karnataka Housing Board’s Suryanagar layouts and surrounding areas by pumping water from the Shimsha river at a cost of Rs 450 crore.

Briefing reporters on the decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting, Urban Development Minister S Suresh Kumar said water will be pumped from a distance of 65 km under the project. All three phases of Suryanagar layouts and the proposed fourth phase layout will be covered under the project. About two tmc ft of water is required for this purpose, he added.

The State government, which has strongly favoured establishment of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for rejuvenating areas devastated by illegal mining, has found that mining lessees have made windfall profits with little investment and with negligible concern for sustainability.

The government is in favour of retaining a higher portion of the revenue earned by the lessees so that it could finance infrastructure and environment projects in districts of Bellary, Chitradruga and Tumkur. In its interlocutory application before the Supreme Court this month, Karnataka has presented how mining lease holders have made supernormal profits without investing much funds. The next hearing of the case is scheduled on January 8.

Vaman Acharya, Chairman of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), said on Thursday that the KSPCB had named Mangalore and Bhadravati as “critically polluted” cities in the State.

He was inaugurating a three-day international conference on “Environment and occupation health” organised by Manipal University, the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Ahmedabad, and the Regional Occupational Health Centre (ROHC), Bangalore, here.

A Comprehensive Environment Management Plan (CEMP) for the mining affected areas in the districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur in Karnataka has been prepared to facilitate socio-economic and

The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) has given priority to restoration of water bodies while preparing a Comprehensive Environment Management Plan (CEMP) in the mining-affe

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.

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