Drop three K'taka ministers over illegal mining, demands NGO

National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR) President S R Hiremath alleged at a press conference here that Reddy brothers entered into raising contract with two mining firms in Ramgadh Area in Sandur taluk, which he said "highlights the fact that they were into illegal mining in Karnataka".

Under the raising contract, a person is permitted to carry out mining activity on behalf of the mining lease holder.

He said "this fact" had also called into question the claims by Yeddyurappa that there was no illegal mining in the state and his government had taken steps to check it.

The NCPNR also demanded action against some officials of the Forest, Mining and police departments, who allegedly helped the Reddy brothers in illegal mining.

Referring to the May 6 Supreme Court order setting up a team to conduct survey and demarcation of 99 iron ore mines in Bellary-Hospet forest region of the state to identify sites of alleged illegal mining, Hiremath said it was expected to meet in Delhi today to finalise its plans for carrying out the inspections.

A special forest bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia had on May 6 ordered forming of the joint team of representative of the Forest Department and the Mines and Geology Department of the state government besides those of Karnataka Lokayukta and the court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC).

The team would conduct survey and demarcation of the leased mines in the presence of representatives of the mining firms and if any encroachment was found, the mining in the entire leased area would stop, the bench said.