The Supreme Court has allowed a mining company from Karnataka to continue mining operation after obtaining mandatory forest clearance and payment of royalty.
A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Mohan M Shantanagoudar said the mining company, M/s Dodannavar Brothers can continue operation after satisfying conditions. The court also clarified that it was not expressing any opinion on the merit of the matter after the state government counsel contended that the company does not have forest clearance.
Senior advocate Basava Prabhu Patil, appearing for the company submitted that it was willing to deposit the entire amount of royalty and forest transit pass charges. As much as 25% of Rs 6.11 crore as demanded in June, 2016 has already been deposited.
He said the remaining 75% amount of the demand would be deposited within four weeks.
The court said, “The respondent is directed to file an undertaking before the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest within a week, stating that the deposit shall be made within the time granted.”
The court, however, put the matter for consideration on July 6.
The top court had on May 1 stayed the operation of the High Court's order passed on August 31, 2016, allowing the company to continue mining operation. The High Court directed the Deputy Conservator of Forest to issue permits for transportation of the extracted mineral, subject to the deposit of royalty and forest transit pass charges.
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