Act against guilty officials: Hiremath to government

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Has the Central Empowered Committee become a friend of the mining industry in its final final report?
Petitioners before the Supreme Court, Mr S.R. Hiremath and Prof Vishnu Kamath, have urged the CEC to continue the stern stand against the companies involved in illegal mining in the state.

“The CEC had recommended earlier that the losses caused due to illegal mining should be recovered from these companies by slapping fines five times the market value of iron ore mined. But now in its final report, the CEC has pared it down to just Rs5 crore per hectare of illegal mines. The CEC should slap heavy penalties against the companies involved in illegal mining and the exact extent of illegal mining should be quantified using 3D laser machines as is being done by the CBI,” Mr Hiremath said.

“The CEC has recommended categorisation of mining activity and indicated re-opening of mining activity. But we urge the CEC to protect the ecologically sensitive areas (ESA), like Ramgadh and Swamy Malai forests in Sandur, and recommend a mining ban in these areas,’’ he said.

He asked the CEC to involve local communities and responsible NGOs in the reclamation and rehabilitation (R&R) projects and monitoring work. Mr Hiremath said the local residents should also be involved in the NREGA (rural employment guarantee scheme) to allow them earn a livelihood.

Mr Hiremath exhorted Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Law Minister Suresh Kumar and Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath to jointly plan a “cleaning up operation” of the state’s image, which has been dented because of illegal mining.

“They should implement the assurance given by the government to the Supreme Court in letter and spirit. We strongly feel that these three personalities, who fortunately have their names and integrity intact, should initiate a comprehensive action plan to initiate stringent action against all the officials involved in one of the worst scandals in the country. The state should start taking action immediately against the officials whose involvement has been proved beyond doubt,’’ he said.

Both Mr Hiremath and Mr Kamath said action should be taken against Bellary DC B. Shivappa, former Bellary SP Seemanth Kumar Singh, Deputy Director of Mines and Geology Raju, DCF (forests) Muttaiah and IFS officer M.K. Shukla.

“We have already made additional submission before the CEC on two serious incidents that took place in 2009. One related to alleged intimidation and threat to IFS officer U.V. Singh during his visit to Ramgadh.

An FIR was filed, but no action was taken. The other was intimidation to Mr Joseph T. Andrews (deputy commissioner of commercial tax) when he entered into the office of Vijaya Leasing Company, owned by Tourism Minister Janardhana Reddy.

“We also submitted Mr Andrews’ letter to his superior, where he lists all those who called and threatened him to leave the office,’’ Mr Hiremath said.