Hyderabad: Contradicting Karnataka
Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy's claims, the Central
Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court has said that 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
Rajasekhara 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 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.
Views of CEC are not that of SC: Reddy
Karnataka Tourism Minister G
Janardhana Reddy on Friday night said the Supreme Court-appointed
Central Empowered Committee's report describing as "illegal"
the mining of iron ore by Obulapuram Mining Company owned by
him in Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka border was not that of the
apex court.
"The report of the CEC is without jurisdiction since the
Supreme Court has not directed the CEC to submit such a report
and CEC is not even a party to the writ petition", Reddy told
a private TV channel.
He said the report by the CEC is an "ex parte report"
since Obulapuram Mining Company "was never heard before making
the report".
Asked if the company was going to stop mining activities
in the area, Reddy said it was for the apex court to say
whether to stop or not.
He said unless observations and recommendations by the
CEC are approved by the Supreme Court, they cannot be called
an order of the apex judiciary.
Contradicting Reddy's claims, the CEC has said the
Obulapuram Mining Company owned by him was carrying out
"illegal" mining of iron ore in the Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka
border.
The CEC recommended to the Supreme Court that all
mining activity in the region be suspended immediately till
the boundaries of mining leases are determined and fixed by an
independent agency.
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 Tapal Ganesh of Bellary against OMC over the
illegal activity in violation of the Forest Conservation Act.
PTI