The Andhra Pradesh authorities has advised the Supreme Court it has no objection to resumption of iron ore mining in Bellary reserve forest the place it was banned in 2010 over encroachment of forest land and different alleged violations, primarily by Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) of former Karnataka Minister G Janardhan Reddy.
Minister for Tourism and Infrastructure Development within the Karnataka authorities from 2008 to 2011, Reddy is beneath CBI investigation for alleged unlawful extraction and cash laundering.
The state made the submission to the Supreme Court after OMC sought the apex court docket’s permission to renew mining actions, claiming that “nothing further survives” within the case for the reason that boundary dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka that had brought about mining to cease was now resolved.
In March 2010, the SC stopped mining in Andhra’s Anantapur district till the mining leases had been demarcated on the bottom after its Central Empowered Committee (CEC) reported rampant encroachment and beneficial that firms responsible of mining exterior lease areas be allowed to renew mining and made to pay exemplary penalty.
Eleven years later, on July 21, the SC was knowledgeable that the 2 states had lastly accepted the state boundary report of the Surveyor General of India. At the identical listening to, as OMC claimed that this cleared the bottom for restarting mining, the counsel showing on behalf of Andhra Pradesh submitted, “on instructions, that the State has no objection to mining activities being carried out within its demarcated area.”
In January 2010, quickly after Konijeti Rosaiah succeeded YS Rajasekhara Reddy as Chief Minister, the Andhra Pradesh authorities had advised the SC that the Reddy brothers had within the Bellary forests illegally mined round 1.95 lakh tonnes of iron ores and that permitting them to proceed can be a “premium on dishonesty”.
The SC is to listen to the matter on August 10.
The obvious shift within the state’s stand has riled various officers who helped flip the tide in opposition to the Reddy brothers throughout 2009-2010.
“Since the permanent pillars and rocks marking the state boundary were removed to encroach on forest land, it was necessary to first determine the interstate line before demarcating individual leases, quantifying encroachments and fixing accountability. This is supposed to be the beginning (of that process) and not a closure,” stated a forest officer who served in Anantapur district.
In truth, a second report submitted by the CEC in April 2011 underlined an extended checklist of illegalities:
* None of the mining leases demarcated on the bottom.
* Dumping on reserve forest land.
* Removal of boundary pillars to extend lease areas.
* Unlawful extension of mining leases by 12-17 years.
* Mining with out forest clearance.
* Construction of unlawful roads via the forest, together with one into Karnataka apparently to smuggle iron ore throughout the border.
* Reported portions of iron ore dispatched far exceeding the manufacturing capability of the mines.
A senior official with the Andhra Pradesh mining division stated a number of companies transported iron or mined illegally in lease areas of Karnataka’s Bellary via forest roads to mines in neighboring Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh after which to one of many ports as authorized consignments to be shipped out.
“The modus operandi was clear to us. Even the SC stated that materials extracted by no less than two firms was routed via OMC and requested the CBI (in September 2011) to probe the hyperlinks,” he stated.
Instead of “resuming business as usual”, the official stated, Andhra Pradesh ought to “broadly follow the course taken on the Karnataka side” of Bellary forests. “There, every lease was scrutinised earlier than inserting it in one of many three classes primarily based on the extent of illegalities discovered. While the worst offenders had been barred, others had been allowed to renew mining after making amends and a manufacturing ceiling was set to stop over-extraction,” he stated.
Riding a growth within the international metal market, Janardhan Reddy, alongside together with his brothers Karunakara Reddy and Somashekara Reddy, rose to prominence in Andhra Pradesh within the early 2000s. Of 188 hectares beneath iron mining lease in Bellary reserve forest within the state’s Anantapur district, 134 hectare was awarded to OMC.
Reddy’s OMC and Brahmani are among the many firms being investigated by the CBI for alleged monetary hyperlinks with the companies of YSR’s son and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. The Reddy brothers had been ministers within the first BJP authorities in Karnataka throughout 2008-2011. In 2018, Somashekara Reddy and Karunakara Reddy had been elected to the Assembly on BJP tickets.
TIMELINE
April 2009
, Based on a grievance, MoEF suspended mining operations until leases demarcated.
, Andhra denied any encroachment.
May 2009
* MoEF saved its order in abeyance.
, An area miner moved SC.
August 2009
, SC issued discover to CEC.
Nov 2009
, CEC beneficial suspension of mining, demarcation of leases and restoration of exemplary value.
, Report of a 3-member state committee additionally flagged grave illegalities
, State authorities suspended mining operations.
Dec 2009
, State authorities handed over the probe to the CBI.
, OMC moved HC which suspended the ‘cease mining’ order.
, SC stayed the HC order.
Jan 2010
, SC requested HC to listen to CEC and determine the matter
Feb 2010
, HC quashed the ‘cease mining’ order.
March 2010
, SC stayed the HC order, stops mining till demarcation carried out
September 2010
, SC asks for an additional CEC report
April 2011
, CEC recordsdata second report
2011-2013
, SC stops mining in Bellary, Karnataka.
, CEC recordsdata a number of experiences on Karnataka mining leases.
, Yardstick set for resumption of mining in Karnataka primarily based on extent of illegalities.
Dec 2017: SC units 12-week deadline to find out AP-Karnataka boundary.
July 2018: SC reprimands each states for delay.
22 July 2022: States agree on interstate boundary; OMC seeks mining permission, Andhra says no objection.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
