From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jan 5: The Supreme Court-appointed Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) team visited mining areas in Bellary district’s Sandur taluk to further assess the damages caused by mining activity.

The apex court-appointed EIA Team would also inspect other mining areas in Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga districts for about eight days from Thursday, official sources said here.

The 10-member experts team, led by Dr V K Bahuguna, Director General of Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, held a meeting with officials of Karnataka’s Mines and Geology, Forest and Revenue Departments before embarking on the field visit.

This is the second visit by the EIA team since November last.

The team is preparing a comprehensive plan for recommending restoration of green cover, environment and ecology in the mining affected zones, according to Dr B N Shanker, Deputy Director, Department of Mines and Geology, Bellary.

The EIA has already submitted a report on its assessment of the situation in the mining areas of Karnataka to the Supreme Court

The EIA, in its earlier report, pointed out severe health hazards posed to people living in these districts which led to the banning of mining activities in three districts by the Supreme Court.