Daijiworld Media Network – Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Jun 9: Even as miners continue to fight a legal battle against the move by the forest department officials and the Lokayukta to seize iron ore stocks worth several hundred crores of rupees, stored at Belekeri port near Karwar, iron ore worth about Rs 200 crore (four lac tones) has mysteriously gone missing from the said port, it is learnt. It may be recalled, that a team of forest officials had termed the stock of iron ore at Beleri port as having been transported without valid permits, and had confiscated about 5.5 lac metric tonnes of ore there. The stock of the ore so seized had been handed over to the port officer there.

It was alleged that iron ore was mined from the forest areas without permits, and that it was transported without valid documents. Fake permits and licences were used to transport this ore. The stock was piled in Belekeri port, where a jetty had been erected clandestinely and without permission, for transporting iron ore to China without following proper procedures, it was alleged. Karnataka State Human Rights Commission chairman, Justice S R Nayak, had also visited the port and made curt observations about the operations in the port. The miners had later filed a case against the government in the High Court, claiming that the seized ore was mined legally.The High Court had earlier, refused to stay an order issued by the Uttara Kannada district administration, banning ore movement between Belekeri and Karwar ports.

As handiwork of highly placed officials, politicians, and the mining magnates, is suspected in the sudden disappearance of the ore, the Lokayukta has dispatched a special investigation team to the port. A first information report against 12 officials functioning in Belekeri port has been filed about the disappearance of the ore, in Ankola police station. It is suspected that the miners, who have been fighting a losing battle to get back possession of the ore, with the connivance of politicians, have removed the ore stocks from the port. It is but natural that ore cannot be removed without the knowledge of the local port officials.

A Lokayukta official also said that there is suspicion about the disappearance of about 50,000 tonnes of iron ore from Karwar port, in the same way.  Relating to the incident, ports minister, Krishna J Palemar, said that Mahesh Biliye, deputy conservator of Belekeri port, has been suspended with immediate effect, holding him responsible for the export of the confiscated ore. He also felt that there is no need to entrust the investigation to the Central Bureau of Investigation.