SC threatens to ban all mining in Karnataka, Andhra forests

Concerned about extensive damage to the environment caused by mining activity in Karnataka and adjoining Andhra Pradesh – particularly in the Bellary-Hospet region - the Supreme Court on Friday said it would impose a blanket ban on mining operations in the two states if further evidence of environmental damage was found.

A forest bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice S H Kapadia and justices Aftab Alam and Swatanter Kumar said, "If the environment and forest in the area has been devastated and ravaged to such extent that it can no longer bear any further damage, then the question arises what is to be done immediately.

''If the impact of the mining is environmental degradation, we will stop the mining ... we are looking at the macro picture. Prima facie there is excessive mining,'' observed the bench while hearing a public interest litigation.

The bench's observations are based on the 2008 report of the lok ayukta, the state anti-corruption agency, followed by a 15 April report of a joint 'central empowered committee'(CEC) which it had set up. The committee described the environmental loss caused by mining in and surrounding Bellary as ''colossal and unparalleled''.

Out of 266 mines in Karnataka, 134 are spread across 11,604 hectares of forest area. By a conservative estimate of Rs5,000 per tonne, the CEC pegged the value of illegally exported iron ore from Karnataka at Rs15,245 crore. The CEC is to file a detailed report by 15 August following a survey of boundaries of mining leases.

The bench felt that the situation needed immediate remedial measures. It asked, "Should we get bogged down to fixing of (mining) boundaries or should we follow our rule in the Aravalli mining cases (in Haryana) that till damage is remedied, there be suspension of mining?"