From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bangalore, Oct 29: After the prolonged examination and consideration, the State Cabinet has finally decided to accept the report submitted to the Government by a high-level official committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary K Jairaj, which studied the final report of former Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde on illegal mining and export of iron ore and has approved action against 417 officials indicted in the report.

The State Cabinet, which met on Friday evening under the Chairmanship of Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, has accepted various recommendations made by the high level committee.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S Suresh Kumar, who briefed reporters after the State Cabinet meeting, said the Jairaj panel had recommended constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising officials of the Mines and Geology, Forest, Revenue and other departments concerned to further investigate officials/persons involved in illegal mining.

The Lokayukta report recommended action against 617 officials of various departments and the government has identified 447 officials. Action has been initiated against 182 officials. But 170 officials cannot be identified or traced on account of incorrect designation and addresses, the minister said.

However, the Lokayutka report had recommended recovery of losses five times from officials’ involved illegal mining.

But there was no necessary existing legislation to recover losses and file criminal cases against officials. The Government would file civil cases against officials till the amendment to the law, Kumar said.

The Jairaj panel has recommended a state level co-ordination and high power committee to monitor reforms and measures taken up by various departments in connection with mining.
It also recommended setting up of a single window agency for granting permission for mining, transport and export of ore, Kumar said.

The report indicted three IAS officers - Gangaram Baderia, M V Shivalinga Murthy and K S Prabhakar, all former directors of the Mines and Geology Department, and four Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials - Muthaiah, former deputy conservator of forests, Bellary; Srinivasulu, Deputy  Conservator of Forest (DCF), Chitradurga; P Rajashekar, former DCF, Bellary; M K Shukla, former DCF, Bellary.

The panel suggested to the Government to obtain statements from the officials concerned before taking action.