Mangalore: Corruption From Leasing to Export Stage of Mining a Fact - Lokayukta Hegde
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)
Mangalore, Jan 8: Lokayukta Justice Santhosh Hegde, known for his crusade against corruption and
the mining lobby, addressing the media persons at Journalists Study Centre, Mangalore on Saturday January 8 said that the report on illegal mining in Karnataka submitted by him to the state government during 2008 is upheld by the report of the Central Empowered Committee which came out recently.
Giving more details to the press, he said corruption is rampantly spread from the stage of leasing to the stage of export of iron ore. During the year 2000 iron ore did not have much value compare to recent years. When China hosted Olympics it boosted metal demand as a result the cost of mines per 1 metric ton rose to Rs 10,000 from Rs 120. The mining lobbyist also have been deceiving the state government by paying just Rs 27 royalty.
During the period everybody started applying for the license. Hence this caused mining to extend in reserved forest areas. The survey was not done properly and central government also did not assent some of the applicants to carry out the mining works. So I can confidently say that mining in Bellary and other part of our state is illegal, Hegde asserted. The main cause for the deplorable condition of many roads in our state is overloaded mines lorries. The capacity of one lorry is 16 tonness but it is observed that some extend it to 24 tonnes, he noted.
Disagreeing with the information that now export of iron ore has stopped in the state, he said now iron ore is exported through seaways from Goa, Chennai, Visakapatanam and other east coast centres. Mining is taking place in the state with Andhra’s permit and huge fraud is taking place while giving transportation permit, he noted.
He stressed that ban on export of mines should be strictly implemented as it is non re-generable resource which may last in coming 30 years if the same amount of mining extraction is continued.