More check-posts, CCTVs to curb illegal mining in Karnataka

Under pressure from the Karnataka high court to provide evidence of sincerity in tackling illegal mining and export of iron ore in the state, chief minister B S Yeddyurappa on Tuesday announced a slew of measures to curb such activities, including installation of closed circuit television cameras (CCTVs) at check-posts on the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border.

Yeddyurappa and minister in charge of Bellary district G Janardhan Reddy held a brainstorming session with officials to outline measures to curb illegal mining, especially in the iron ore rich Bellary region. The meeting was held in the background of a division bench of the Karnataka high court giving the BJP government time till 3 September to outline measures it has taken to control illegal mining in the state after imposing a ban on exports and transport of iron ore on 26 July and 28 28 this year.

The chief minister said 13 new check-posts would be created to restrict the movement of trucks carrying iron ore from the state. The state government will also create seven special squads to check the movement of trucks involved in the transport of iron ore from the state, the chief minister said after the a meeting that included ministers and officials representing the home, revenue, forests, mines and geology ministries to review the implementation of measures to root out illegal mining in the state.

In another step on Tuesday, the state government banned storage of iron ore in private yards, forcing mining companies to keep ore only in the government yards.

The review meeting was held after the lokayukta and the main opposition party, the Congress, contended that illegal mining was still going on despite the chief minister's claims of curtailing it.

''We are determined to put an end to illegal mining activities in the state. Officers have been told to seize vehicles that transport iron ore without permits,'' Yeddyurappa said.

This was the first time that Yeddyurappa, who handles the forest and mines department in the state, and tourism minister G Janardhan Reddy, who has been the de facto minister for all departments in the Bellary region and also owns a mining company along with his brother and fellow minister Karunakara Reddy, sat together to address the illegal mining issue.