From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, May 9: ''Who is really responsible for the mining mess in Karnataka?,'' asked the ruling BJP and answered its own question by blaming the opposition Congress and JD(S) for colluding with the mining mafia while it was the B S Yeddyurappa-led BJP regime which had been continuously taking steps to control illegal mining in the State.
Senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha member D B Chandre Gowda, who has served as a minister in the erstwhile Janata Dal and Congress governments in the State besides being the State Assembly Speaker, claimed that the report of the Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) had resulted in the apex court ordering suspension of 19 mining leases in the State.
''Surprisingly, all the 19 cases pertain to the periods of previous Congress and JD(S) governments and not even a single recommendation for mining lease during the present BJP government,'' Chandre Gowda said releasing a booklet with the catchy title, ''Who is really responsible for the mining mess in Karnataka?'' at a news conference in Bangalore on Monday.
The booklet noted that the Supreme Court on May 6 had ordered joint inspection of 99 mining licenses to ascertain whether any illegal mining had taken place outside their leased area, it said not even one of them were granted during the BJP government’s tenure.
The BJP claimed that Karnataka witnessed the birth and growth of “mining lobbies'' for granite and iron ore during the regimes of Congress and JD(S) governments and the Congressmen were instrumental even in pressurizing the former Governor Rameshwar Thakur to grant mining leases when the State was under President’s rule.
“Both these parties have actively and patiently encouraged the mining mafia and have given a fillip to illegal mining with active collusion of corrupt officers positioned by the then governments,'' the party alleged while ''it is more than amply demonstrated that the BJP government has been continuously taking steps to control illegal mining and has even introduced several bold measures to take on mining mafia.''
''Unlike the governments headed by Congress and JD(S), the BJP government under the leadership of Yeddyurappa remains fully committed to preserving the natural wealth for future generations and for the overall development and well-being of the State,'' Chandre Gowda said.
He pointed out that during the period of the then Chief Minister N Dharam Singh movement of iron ore dumped illegally on “patta'' lands was allowed by issuing despatch permits.
"This was an extremely damaging decision which the Congress Chief Minister took despite the then Secretary of the Department informing clearly that the sanction of patta lands and transport of such ore is against the law,'' the booklet said.
Despite this, Dharam Singh ordered issue of permits, it said, adding: ''Karnataka Lokayukta has held this action was against public interest and unlawful. It had recommended recovery from Dharam Singh of loss caused to the Government of Rs 23.22 crore.''
The ruling BJP said even the then Governor Rameshwar Thakur, who was appointed by the Congress-led UPA regime at the Centre, passed orders to drop the case against Dharam Singh citing “flimsy'' grounds, obviously under pressure from the Congressmen.
"The state government was not even consulted before the Governor took such a decision. Very conveniently, the Congress Governor decides to drop the case against a Congress Chief Minister despite written recommendation of an independent agency like the Lokayukta!,'' the party said.
Chandre Gowda hoped that the Jan Lok Pal legislation, which has promised to be introduced in the monsoon session of parliament, would bring an end to the mining mess and various other corrupt deeds and scams. He was also confident that the Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa would stick to his decision of bringing a special legislation to curb illegal mining and strictly abide by the government’s decision only to encourage mining activities only for value added production.