Tuesday, May 31,
Various mines located in the northern Karnataka region have been given a fresh lease by the State Government to allow them to resume operations and transport iron ore.
The Apex court on May 6 had directed formation of a special team to conduct survey and demarcation (S & D) in 99 mining leases in the Bellary-Hospet-Sandur belt.
However, mine owners and their association had the decision and said the S & D activities were being carried out in phases, there was no point in suspending operations in the remaining mines.
Following these representations, the joint survey committee consisting of officials from the Departments of Mines & Geology, Forest and the Karnataka Lokayuktha reviewed the earlier notice and decided to allow mining activities in those areas which “have not been covered in the current phase of S & D operations” on May 21
Though the order was issued on May 21, it is only now that some of the mine owners are becoming aware of it.
Industry bodies expressed their happiness for such a decision by saying, “We are glad that the State Government has realised that it is not practical to ban mining completely as they had argued in the court”
Source: The Business Line
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