Kumaraswamy Provides ‘proof on Reddy’s Illegal Mining’
Bangalore, Jul 20 (DHNS): JD(S) State president H D Kumaraswamy, on Monday alleged that Ananthpura Mining Corporation (AMC) owned by Minister Janardhana Reddy was into illegal mining in the State.
Releasing certain documents to support his allegations, Kumaraswamy demanded that the minister resign.
Kumaraswamy made the allegations within hours after Reddy told the press that he owned no mines in Karnataka. Reddy had offered to resign if his involvement in illegal mining was proved. The JD(S) leader said the AMC in 2004 extracted iron ore from Black Gold Iron Ore mine (BGIOM) in Honnahalli in Bellary whose licence had expired in 1992 itself.
The AMC had paid royalty to the State Government and the amount had been transferred from Reddy’s bank account.
He said the High Court, following a petition, had stalled operations of BGIOM in 1981. However, in 2004 a few interested parties moved the HC to lift 3.5 lakh tonnes of ore left in the stockyards of BGIOM.
Kumaraswamy alleged that the petitioners succeeded to get clearance to lift the iron ore by misleading the court. The court clearly told the petitioners not to mine in its limits. However, there are evidences to show that the AMC had transported the ore from BGIOM, in violation of the court order, he alleged.
The AMC then exported the ore extracted in BGIOM through ports in Mangalore and other places of Andhra Pradesh, he said. He said IFS officer Punit Sridhar, during his inspection of BGIOM area, found mining operations in BGIOM limits against the court orders. He also filed a first information report with the regional forest officer. However, the officers did not probe into the case citing that the representatives of BGIOM were not available.
The reports of joint survey conducted by officers of Forest Department and Mines and Geology also proved illegal mining in BGIOM limits, he said. He also released copies of transport permits obtained by AMC to transport the ore. He said he had proved that Reddy was into illegal mining in Karnataka.He added that he had many more documents to prove illegal mining by the Reddys and would release them in future.
Hegde refuses to endorse CM’s clean chit to Reddys
Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde prefers not to give a clean chit to any individual in the dock before investigation.
“Chief Minister might have given a clean chit to Bellary Reddys. But I don’t issue certificates to anyone prior to investigation. I will give my judgement only after a thorough probe,” Hegde told press persons here on Monday.
He was reacting to the statement of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa that Reddys were not into illegal mining.
The Lokayukta said he has the authority to investigate into mining within the state’s boundaries.
Task force
But he has to seek assistance of Central agencies to investigate into export of ore through ports in neighbouring states.
He said he would hold a meeting of the officers who had already been investigating illegal mining and constitute a task force of police officers for inquiry.