Green activists are urging the government to save the last remaining patches of greenery in Sandur’s Devadari range.
Credit DH File Photo
The cash-strapped Kudremukh Iron Ore Mining Company (KIOCL), which was at the risk of losing its hold over 1,000 acres of forest, has managed to get its lease renewed for two more years, with activists expressing concern over impending destruction of a virgin forest.
The company received forest clearance (stage II) for 470.4 hectare (1,162.38 acre) land in Sandur’s Devadari range and got the mining lease in January 2023.
However, the department could not commence the operations within the two-year deadline and got the lease extended for one year by the state government, to January 1, 2026.
As per the Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957, failure to commence the project within the stipulated deadline would result in the lapse of the lease. However, a few months ahead of the expiry of the deadline, the KIOCL approached the Centre with the problem. The Ministry of Mines, which looked into the matter, stated that KIOCL was unable to commence production within the deadline “due to factors beyond its control”.
The ministry said it was informed that the forest lease agreement was delayed, which eventually led to a high court of Karnataka.
In an order dated November 27, 2025, the ministry invoked the sweeping overs it has under Section 20(A) of the Act to extend the deadline by two years, till January 1, 2028 to start producing iron and manganese from Devadari range.
Save greenery: activists
The ministry noted that
the company has to comply with the Supreme Court directions and conditions pertaining to the Kudremukh mines.
Sandur-based activist Sreeshaila Aladahalli, however, expressed concern at the impending mining work.
“This is a project opposed by the Forest department at all levels because it involves felling of 99,000 trees in the virgin forest. We urge the government to save the last remaining patches of greenery. Avoiding further destruction is the best way to mitigate climate change,” he added.