Gali's OMC was carrying out illegal mining: SC panel

Hyderabad: Contradicting the Karnataka tourism minister, Mr G. Janardhan Reddy's claims, the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court said the Obulapuram Mining Company owned by him was carrying out "illegal" mining of iron ore in the Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka border.

In an indictment of the Andhra Pradesh government, the CEC in its report has observed that "their efforts have been to cover up the illegal mining being done by OMC in the unallotted forest areas outside the approved mining leases".

The CEC recommended to the Supreme Court that all mining activity in the region be suspended immediately till the boundaries of the mining leases are determined and fixed by an independent agency.

In a scathing criticism of the previous Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy government, the CEC noted that "the objectivity, fairness and impartiality which is expected from a state government is shockingly lacking here and does not inspire confidence".

The demarcation of the mining boundaries should be done in a time-bound manner by a team consisting of senior
representatives of Survey of India, Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, Andhra Pradesh Mines Department, Forest Department and Revenue Department, it said.

"All mining activity, including the transportation of already mined material from all the six mining leases should remain suspended till the demarcation of boundaries is done," CEC member M.K. Jiwrajka said, requesting the Supreme Court to consider the report and pass appropriate orders.

The CEC submitted the report on Thursday on the orders of the apex court to inquire into the matter based on a writ petition filed by Mr Tapal Ganesh of Bellary against OMC over the illegal activity in violation of the Forest Conservation Act.

Incidentally, the Andhra Pradesh High Court issued an order on Thursday on the petition of Reddy's wife Lakshmi Aruna, permitting OMC to continue the mining activity.

The CEC was highly critical of the Andhra Pradesh government's conclusion that OMC was not involved in any illegal mining in the forest areas.

"The government's conclusion suffers from serious defects and inconsistencies and is not at all in conformity with the approved mining leases. There are substantial differences and serious discrepancies in the mining lease boundaries determined and those fixed now by the state forest department," the report said.

"The mining boundaries now determined by the state were totally inconsistent and different in terms of area of the mining lease, shape, length and bearings of the boundary line and location of the mining leases of OMC.

"Considering the shape of the mining leases, the CEC is of the view that without doubt there existed un-allotted forest area between three mining leases of OMC, Bellary Iron Ore Private Limited and Y.M. Sons and wherein illegal mining has taken place," the report said.