Karnataka Minister Murugesh Nirani called on Union Coal & Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi and sought early clearance of four pending proposals of the Karnataka State Minerals Corporation Ltd (KSMCL) besides discussing other related issues. In the meeting, Nirani, Karnataka’s Mines and Geology Minister, said the state government has collected Rs 2,200 crore in District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund till now from different districts and sought the Centre’s help to carry welfare schemes for mining-affected people. He also sought legal aid from the Centre to pursue a long-pending case for early release of Rs 18,000 crore funds from the Supreme Court for reclamation and rehabilitation of land destroyed by illegal mining in Ballari, Chitradurga and Tumakuru districts.
“In view of the long pendency of the matter and in order to rehabilitate the mining ravaged areas in three districts, urgent directions from the Supreme Court are required to go ahead with the implementation of CEPMIZ,” said Nirani. He urged the Centre to extend legal and administrative help in getting the accumulated fund to the state kitty for implementation of Comprehensive Environmental Plan for Mining Impact Zone (CEPMIZ) in the state, said a minister’s statement issued after the meeting.
Nearly Rs 18,000 crore collected out of fines and levies from iron ore mines on the direction of the Supreme Court has accumulated over the last six years. On pending proposals of KSMCL, the minister discussed in detail and sought early clearance of the mining lease areas in Hassan and Udupi districts. One proposal is about reservation of 219 hectares mining lease area for Chromite and Titaniferrous Magnetite at Rayasamudra Kaval and Kamanayakanahalli village in Channarayapatna taluk of Hassan district.
Two proposals are related to Udupi district: reservation of 120.60 hectares of area for Bauxite Mineral imparts of Paduvari Yaditare and Byndoor villages of Byndoor taluk and 23.80 hectares for Bauxite at Paduvare village in Kundapura taluk in Udupi district. The fourth proposal pending is diversion of additional forest land over an area of 145 hectares for mining in NE Block, Sandur taluk, Ballari district.
