Illegal mining: Drone survey plan fails to take off

The Karnataka government, which had announced a drone survey to assess the extent of illegal mining in Karnataka, is unable to launch it as there are no takers for the recently floated tender in this regard.

According to Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh Nirani, the government invited a tender for the survey about a month ago and there were hardly any participants. While there were no bidders in majority of the districts, there were single bidders in about five districts. As a result, the government is now floating the tenders again.

"We will soon call for a meeting with the companies and arrive at a decision on the pricing," the minister said. The government-fixed price was Rs 2,500 per acre, which the companies have found unviable.

Speaking to DH, officials in the mines and geology department explained that the tenders have now been finalised for only two districts — Udupi and Kalaburagi. This drone survey will pertain to stone quarries (building stone) only, officials said. Only companies empanelled with the Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre (KSRSAC) will be eligible to take up the survey.

Read | New policy to check illegal mining: Nirani

Following an explosion at a stone quarry in Shivamogga in January this year, Nirani had announced that the government will take up a drone survey of quarries to identify the extent of illegal mining in the state.

While the department had got a survey done last year, the report was challenged by mining companies on the grounds that they were not present during the survey. Following this, the court asked the government to redo the survey in the presence of licence holders, officials said.

Meanwhile, even as Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh has alleged rampant illegal mining around the KRS dam, Nirani said there was no mining activity around the dam or Bebi Betta at present.

Addressing mediapersons in Kalaburagi on Saturday, Nirani said he had visited the spot after being informed about illegal mining. "I had instructed the officials to stop stone quarrying after noticing violation of rules. The violators were fined and there is a ban on stone mining,” he said.

The government is ready to take up a probe if Sumalatha produces documentary evidence, he added.