SC examines scheme to remedy damage due to illegal mining in 3 districts

Says will give phased approval after ground work begins

The Supreme Court has refused blanket approval of the Comprehensive Environment Plan for the Mining Impact Zone (CEPMIZ) scheme, an ameliorative measure for the environmental damage wreaked by illegal mining in Ballari, Chitradurga and Tumakuru districts of Karnataka.

“The entire CEPMIZ scheme need not be approved in one go and such approval may be considered and accorded in phases. The initial activity identified, namely, construction of conveyor belt system, railway sidings and railway sub-lines needs to be prioritised,” a three-judge bench presided over by Justice Ranjan Gogoi said.

It is only after a decision is taken on constructing those infrastructure and a noticeable headway is made, that the other ameliorative and mitigative socio-economic measures can have any relevance, the bench, also comprising Justices Prafulla C Pant and A M Khanwilkar added.

The court was examining the CEPMIZ scheme, submitted by the Karnataka government as well as the Central Empowered Committee and considered the object behind the creation of the District Mineral Foundation.

The CEPMIZ scheme, to be implemented over 10 years at an estimated cost of Rs 15,742.35 crore is considered as “a vision document with all concrete measures, steps and proposals”.

In its plea, Federation of Indian Mining Industry, Southern Region, contended the preparation of the scheme should have been started in right earnest way back in the year 2012 after the apex court had on September 28, 2012 expressed that, ”the formation of the Special Purpose Vehicle and the drawing up of the CEPMIZ is perhaps the most essential part in the process of reclamation and rehabilitation of the area devastated by illegal mining”.

The industry body, however, claimed the projects being undertaken by Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board and others were beyond the scope of the ameliorative and mitigative measures.

The bench said, “We would not like to comment on the merits of the scheme except to say that so far as the socio-economic measures are concerned, very broadly and roughly speaking, the different heads under which restoration and reclamation work is proposed to be done, subject to final details being worked out later, appears to be sufficiently comprehensive”.

The court also noted the funds available with the monitoring committee, set up by the state government, was more than adequate to meet the cost projected against the works for the repair and restoration of the environment.