JOIN USOf the 99 mines that have been ordered for a joint survey, 63 of these mines will be surveyed in the first phase, while the remaining 36 mines will be surveyed during the second phase.
The survey is expected to be completed in six weeks and the report will be submitted to the Supreme Court after the summer vacation.
Five survey teams consisting of officials from the Mines and Geology, Forest and Revenue departments, have been formed to conduct the survey. National Institute of Technology, Surathkal, will also assist the team of surveyors using unmanned aerial vehicles for the survey.
The joint survey was ordered after Dharwad-based NGO Samaja Parivartana Samudaya (SPS) filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on illegal mining in Karnataka.
As per the Supreme Court judgement, if any violations are found during the joint survey, mining operations will be suspended in these areas, and the lease owners will have to approach the Supreme Court to resume operations.
During the first phase, mining leases in four forest blocks -- Swamimalai, Ramanmalai, North East block and Gunda Hospet block -- will be surveyed.
Of the 63 leases, 15 leases are located in Swamimalai block, 23 at Ramanmalai block, 22 at North East Block range, and 3 at Gunda Hospet block.
The remaining 36 mines will be surveyed during the second phase. Even though most of these mines are idle or currently not functioning, the survey will continue. These include around 10 mines in both Donnimalai block and Bellary Reserve Forest area.