Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jul 11: The government has since submitted its action taken report on the interm report on illegal mining in the state, submitted by the Lokayukta. State chief secretary Sudhakar Rao sent the said report to the Lokayukta in connection with the report of six volumes on Friday July 10.

It may be recalled that the Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde had submitted a report to the state government on December 18, 2008, after conducting probe into the illegal mining conducted from the year 2000 to 2006 in Bellary, Chitradurga, Tumkur etc. The Lokayukta had sought an action taken report from the state government within three months from the date of submission of the report. The government, sighting election and other reasons, had postponed the submission of the report.

The report says that two senior officials have denied the charges of lapses levelled against them. The two officers, one of whom is senior IPS officer Jija Harisingh, have vehemently rejected the allegations that they were involved with the mining scandal. They reportedly said that the Lokayukta made a wrong reference to them, as the current officials of Mysore Minerals Ltd had furnished wrong details to the Lokayukta.

It is said, the government has concurred with the Lokayukta's charge against the other nine officials. The state government proposes to take action against these nine officials. The recently adopted mining policy copy has also been enclosed to the letter to the Lokayukta.  The government has explained in the letter, the steps it has taken to minimize damage to the environment the mining activity might cause and the modified leasing system for mines it has recently adopted.

Justice Hegde had indicated last week that he would complain to the governor about the government's failure to act on his report. In view of the report now submitted, the Lokayukta said he has dropped the idea of complaining to the governor. He said, he would study the letter and express his opinion on it, on Monday.

The Lokayukta report had pointed out taht 11 officials of different cadres were hand in glove with the illegal mining activities and that the government-owned Mysore Minerals had incurred huge losses due to the corrupt practices, while private miners made huge profits. In addition to damaging environment, forest produce and natural wealth, national highway 17, 48 and 63 suffered huge damages because of the mining activities, the Lokayukta report had pointed out. Provisionally, the loss to Mysore Minerals and the government was put at Rs 800 crore. The report also had indicated that iron ore lease worth Rs 23.22 crore had been illegally distributed during the term of former Chief Minister Dharam Singh.