SC halts operations at 19 mines in Karnataka

The Supreme Court yesterday halted operations of 19 iron ore mines in Bellary district following acceptance of the environmental panel's damning report by the BJP government of Karnataka. This clears the way for implementation of recommendations against rampant illegal mining in the state.

After the Central Empowered Committee's 17 April report accused the B S Yeddyurappa government of inaction on the Lokayukta justice Santosh Hegde's report on illegal mining, petitioner NGO 'Samaj Parivartan Samuday' through counsel Prashant Bhushan sought immediate suspension of operations at 19 mines.

Amicus curiae ADN Rao pointed out from Karnataka government's affidavit that the state accepted the CEC's recommendations promising to take necessary steps to curb the illegal mining menace.

A bench comprising chief justice S H Kapadia and justices Aftab Alam and K S Radhakrishnan passed the order on suspension of mining operations in the 19 leased areas in Bellary district.

The CEC citing Bellary as the illegal mining hub of Karnataka, avoided naming mining magnates and ministers G Janardhan Reddy and G Karunakar Reddy in its report.

Though the Reddys were not named in the report, it sought to present a bleak picture to the court in which all bureaucrats in the district, allegedly in collusion with the peoples' representatives were involved in illegal mining rackets.