Over 248.6 sq km forest area was de-reserved in the year 2000 to allow mining operations though the entire region was declared as environmentally sensitive.
Links:
[1] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/news/lokayuta-report-mining
[2] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/newspaper/deccan-herald-bangalore
[3] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/mining
[4] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/karnataka
[5] http://admin.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/category/thesaurus/bellary-d