Bengaluru: The state Cabinet has decided to continue negotiations with EMTA, with which it has entered into an MoU for Integrated Baranj Open Cast Mining, by giving approval to the affidavit filed by KPCL in the Supreme Court.
The court had ruled that the leased mines at Baranj village should be withdrawn from Karnataka, if it failed to continue mining activities. The issue had been figuring in the cabinet meetings for the last few months and KPCL had gone ahead and filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court. The affidavit stated that the KPCL MD was empowered to negotiate with EMTA and procure coal, as per the terms and price mentioned in the affidavit.
Deemed forest: The state government has decided to remove over 4.98 lakh hectares of the 17.62 lakh hectares from the purview of deemed forests. Earlier, following the Supreme Court order, which had declared that the areas covered with more than 400 trees per hectares would be declared as deemed forests, the forest department had marked over 17.62 lakh hectares revenue land as forest. Following pressure from the legislators in Western Ghat region, the government formed committees to look into the issue. An affidavit in this regard would be filed before the Supreme Court, Law Minster T.B. Jayachandra told reporters.
Meanwhile, as per directions from the Centre, the government has set up a committee to identify wetlands to bring them under Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2010. After the committee submits its report, it would be forwarded to the Centre, Mr Jayachandra said.
However, the Cabinet again deferred its decision on the Real Estate Regulation Act and decided to take it up at its next meeting.
