Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Oct 31: Dakshina Kannada district deputy commissioner Dr K V Rajendra, has decided to send recommendation to the government seeking high state level inquiry into bauxite mining that is going on at Mudipu and surrounding places.

Based on media reports which said illegal bauxite mining was going on without permission and in violation of rules, the deputy commissioner had formed a team of seven district level officials to undertake investigation. The team was led by the deputy director of mining department. The deputy commissioner said that the team has looked into the bauxite mining and submitted its reports, which is not completely clear. Therefore he feels that higher level inquiry should be held into the issue.

Deputy commissioner Dr K V Rajendra

He said that in case or common minerals, district level officials can probe. But bauxite is an important mineral like the iron ore of Ballari. Therefore, it would be apt to conduct investigation by the state mines department. He said that when recommending higher level investigation, he will retain the technical aspects of the district level committee report.

The report says that mining licence was granted in 2014-15 and even though mining was prescribed to be started within a year, it was started with a gap of five years. It said that some rules have been violated at the spot where mining is going on. Officials of the environment and pollution control board who verified also confirmed that environment has been harmed. The report also has expressed the fear that if the mining continues there, landslides might occur.