<p>The Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya will hold a state-level convention in Ballari on August 16 demanding the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC) funds be utilised for mining-affected areas alone and not for any other purposes. </p><p>Addressing mediapersons here on Saturday, Samudaya president S R Hiremath claimed that the funds that were meant for the development of mining-affected areas were being utilised for other purposes, by politicians. However, the funds should be allocated to mining-affected areas as per the Supreme Court guidelines, he added. </p><p>“The KMERC funds have been set up in Ballari, Chitradurga, Vijayanagar and Tumakuru district that had witnessed rampant mining. There are funds to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore but this is being misused by politicians for other purposes,” Hiremath charged. The convention is being held to draw the government’s attention to “misuse of KMERC funds”, Hiremath added. Retired Justice Santosh Hegde will inaugurate the convention and experts from various fields will be present. </p><p>“Taking note of reports of ill-effects of illegal mining, the Supreme Court had set up Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the CEC had recommended for the special priority funds to revive mining-affected areas. Following this, the Supreme Court had framed guidelines on utilisation of these funds in 2013,” Hiremath pointed out. </p><p>“We want to stop officials and politicians from misusing the funds and instead utilise it to develop the mining-hit region,” he added. </p>
<p>The Samaja Parivarthana Samudaya will hold a state-level convention in Ballari on August 16 demanding the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC) funds be utilised for mining-affected areas alone and not for any other purposes. </p><p>Addressing mediapersons here on Saturday, Samudaya president S R Hiremath claimed that the funds that were meant for the development of mining-affected areas were being utilised for other purposes, by politicians. However, the funds should be allocated to mining-affected areas as per the Supreme Court guidelines, he added. </p><p>“The KMERC funds have been set up in Ballari, Chitradurga, Vijayanagar and Tumakuru district that had witnessed rampant mining. There are funds to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore but this is being misused by politicians for other purposes,” Hiremath charged. The convention is being held to draw the government’s attention to “misuse of KMERC funds”, Hiremath added. Retired Justice Santosh Hegde will inaugurate the convention and experts from various fields will be present. </p><p>“Taking note of reports of ill-effects of illegal mining, the Supreme Court had set up Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the CEC had recommended for the special priority funds to revive mining-affected areas. Following this, the Supreme Court had framed guidelines on utilisation of these funds in 2013,” Hiremath pointed out. </p><p>“We want to stop officials and politicians from misusing the funds and instead utilise it to develop the mining-hit region,” he added. </p>
