HC seeks list of mining licences

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation by Arun Agrawal, who had challenged the indiscriminate mining in the State, the division bench headed by Justice V Gopalagowda has directed the State to file a rejoinder on why open bidding was not invited for mining lease allocation.

Earlier during the hearing, the counsel for the State submitted that there has not been wastage of mineral resources as the State is focussing more on steel production. “We are looking at the value added products by permitting only captive mining,” the counsel said.
On the recent State government’s decision inviting major companies like ArcelorMittal to set up plants, the counsel submitted that the State is producing nearly 40 million tonnes of steel per annum and can permit such six units. On the petitioner’s plea to ban the export of the ore, the State said it had no powers to do so.