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Sandur (Ballari district): Activists from various organisations including the Janasangraama Parishat, and the mining-affected areas’ restoration committee, took out a rally near Narasingapur in Sandur on Tuesday to protest the ongoing survey work undertaken by the Kudremukh Iron Ore Corporation Limited at the Devadari iron ore project site.
Residents and farmers from Narasingapura, Ranajitpura, Narayanapura, Bujanganagar, Yeshwantnagara, among others, participated in the protest rally.
‘Ore extraction increased’
Citing the Central Empowered Committee’s (CEC) report to the Supreme Court, recommending reducing the quantity of iron extracted from the Devadari ore from 50 million tonnes to 20 million tonnes, the protesters said, “But the National Mineral Development Corporation, which is under the jurisdiction of the Union Steel Ministry, has increased the volume of iron extracted from the ore by 16 million tonnes. This company has also not implemented reservation in hiring.”
Officials of the Mines and Geology, and Survey departments decided to halt work on the ongoing survey in the wake of the protest.
A number of farmers’ outfits including the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, besides trade unions such as the SUCI(C), and Kannada organisations have lent their support to the agitation. Dalit Sene too has expressed solidarity with the protesters.