SC rejects plea to alter rules on mining

“We do not find any reason to interfere with High Court’s order in view of the state government’s decision to frame rules and issuance of notification on April 1, 2011,” a Bench of Justices R V Raveendran and A K Patnaik said.

A group of private miners had approached the apex Court challenging Karnataka High Court’s order refusing to interfere with the two notifications issued by the state government last year banning export of iron ore for six-month pending issuance of rules to regulate mining.

During the hearing, the B S Yeddyurappa government told the Court that it had put in place regulatory mechanism in the form of Karnataka Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and Storage of Minerals Rules, 2011.

Since the temporary measures brought in to prevent the loss of revenue and resources now ceased to operate with the expiry of their deadlines for six months only and the state government has notified fresh rules, we dispose of the petition, the Court said.

It had earlier allowed the export of the iron ore lying at major ports of Karnataka after the state government banned its offshore movement in July 2010.