Expedite approval for mining-hit districts: CM

Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday directed officials to expedite the process of seeking the Supreme Court’s approval for the government’s Comprehensive Environment Plan for the Mining Impact Zone (CEPMIZ) worth Rs 24,996 crore.

The CEPMIZ is an ameliorative measure for the environmental damage wreaked by illegal mining in the Ballari, Chitradurga and Tumakuru districts. The CEPMIZ involves taking up works worth
Rs 13,378.41 crore in Ballari, Rs 3,792.30 crore in Chitradurga and Rs 2,554.05 crore in Tumakuru.

The government has been seeking the Supreme Court’s nod for the plan so that it can go ahead with its implementation in the mining-affected areas. The apex court, however, has refused to accord blanket approval. Also, the case has to come up before Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi.

The state submitted its clean-up plan to the top court in October last year. Earlier, the government had submitted a Rs 15,742.350-crore plan, which was subsequently revised.

At a review meeting, Yediyurappa was told that the Supreme Court has asked amicus curiae Shyam Divan to look into Karnataka’s CEPMIZ. Divan is assisting the top court in the case involving illegal iron ore mining.

“The amicus curiae has been asked to check whether the court should take responsibility of everything or just give overall approval and empower the state government to implement the CEPMIZ,” an official from the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation, a special purpose vehicle, said.

Sources said Yediyurappa asked officials to follow-up with the Supreme Court.

There was speculation that Yediyurappa wanted to explore the possibility of diverting some of the CEPMIZ funds towards flood relief. However, Commerce and Industries (mines) secretary M Maheshwar Rao denied this.

The CEPMIZ scheme, to be implemented over 10 years, is considered “a vision document with all concrete measures, steps and proposals.”

Recently, Mines and Geology Minister C C Patil was briefed by officials that the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) had recommended the state to set up a committee headed by a retired judge, like in Odisha, to oversee the rehabilitation of the mining-affected areas.