Mining: Cong leader kin in net
The Department of Mines and Geology has fined the daughter-in-law of former legislator and District Congress president K Basavaraj Hitnal of Rs 30,00,551 for illegal mining of gravel.
Illegal mining was being carried out in the name of Shylaja, wife of K Nagaraj, Basavaraj Hitnal’s son. Along with Shylaja, Manjunath M Hadagi, also a resident of Hitnal village, has been fined Rs 30,68,600 for engaging in illegal gravel mining.
K Nagaraj was conducting illegal mining activity in the name of Manjunath M Hadagi too.
The total amount fined in the two cases is Rs 60,69,151.
As much as 58,821 metric tonnes of gravel has been mined illegally in the land with Survey No 129 in the Bevinal Grama Panchayat limits in Koppal. The gravel thus mined was sold to a company that has taken up the widening of National Highway 13.
Based on the accurate information, the department officers conducted the raid. Notices issued to Shylaja Nagaraj Hitnal and Manjunath M Hadagi charged them with violating Rule 3(1) of The Karnataka Minor Minerals Concession Rules, 1994. By undertaking mining in agricultural land, the two have also violated the Revenue Act, the notices stated.
Violators of the rules can be jailed for a year or fined Rs 5,000 or both. In addition, violators are expected to pay five times the royalty to the State government for illegal mining of gravel. Thus, Shylaja Nagaraj will have to pay Rs 30,68,600, while Manjunath has to pay Rs 30,68,600 within seven days of receiving the notices.
