'Confiscate ill-gotten wealth of mining firms'

Organisations campaigning against illegal mining, including the National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR) and Jan Sangram Parishad, have demanded that the State government confiscate illegal wealth of companies involved in unlicensed mining and similar activities in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday, S R Hiremath, senior advisor, Samaj Parivartana Samudaya (SPS), said, “We are concerned about the long paralysis in the decision-making of the State government either about taking firm action against 700 officials or about rejuvenating the administrative machinery taking action against those involved, including members of political parties, traders and companies.”

A Supreme Court order on ‘illegal mining and related issues in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh’, dated November 11, 2012, had called for the recovery of ill-gotten wealth of mining companies, transporters, traders and exporters to fund the Special Purpose Vehicles for the social and economic development of local communities.