DKS, brother are into illegal quarrying: Yogeeshwara

Cong leader is alleged to have changed survey number in forest area

Forest Minister C P Yogeeshwara on Wednesday accused Congress leader D K Shivakumar and his brother D K Suresh of indulging in rampant illegal quarrying in the forest areas of Kanakapura taluk in Ramanagara district.

Addressing a press conference, Yogeeshwara also charged Shivakumar with running a “parallel government” in Kanakapura in collusion with officials of various departments. The minister charged the Congress leader with fabricating documents to carry out illegal quarrying.

“The survey numbers have been changed to carry out quarrying in forest areas. The illegal quarrying has not only degraded the environment, but also affected wildlife, resulting in man-animal conflict,” Yogeeshwara said, alleging that Shivakumar’s supporters had been making threat calls to him in the last few weeks.

Within hours of Yogeeshwara’s allegations, Shivakumar termed them false and baseless. “If he has any evidence to prove that I have threatened him, let him lodge a police complaint against me,” he said.

He said Yogeeshwara was extorting money from jelly crushers and that Congress leader C M Lingappa had levelled charges against him in this regard.

 “I had brought this to the notice of the chief minister, demanding a probe into the matter. Hence, Yogeeshwara is levelling these false allegations against me,” he added.

On his part, Yogeeshwara said while officially only 23 licence holders had availed permits for quarrying, there were more than 200 illegal quarries in the region. He charged that illegal quarrying had been going on unabated for the last 15 years. The officials of the mines and geology department had failed to take action, he alleged.

Yogeeshwara said he had sought the intervention of  Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda as the issue involved the departments of forests, mines and revenue. The minister has sought a comprehensive inquiry into the matter and also evaluation of the losses to the State exchequer due to illegal quarrying.