Illegal mining: Company slapped fine of Rs 21 crore

The Mines and Geology department has recently imposed a fine of Rs 21 crore on Dileep Buildcon Limited (DBL) Company, on charges of illegal stone mining.

The company has taken up 10-lane work on Bengaluru-Mysuru national highway. The stones required for the project has been mined near Kalenahalli in Srirangapatna taluk, Mandya district. The department has alleged that they had not taken necessary approval from the authorities before quarrying.

The company had sought permission from the Mines and Geology department, before commencing the work and was sanctioned seven acres of land near Kalenahalli. Though the Revenue and Forest departments had given approval, it failed to get permission from the Union government for mining near the highway, it is said.

It is proved that the company had involved in illegal mining before getting Environment approval and has extracted 1.35 lakh metric tonnes of stones. Hence, the district administration and the department has imposed a fine of Rs 21 crore to the DBL Company, said senior scientist T V Pushpa.