The Justice M.B. Shah Commission inquiring into illegal mining across the country has finally landed in the state which has been emerging as the epicentre for the loot of minerals and ores by mining barons. Though delayed, the commission will probe illegal mining in various districts including Anantapur where Mr Gali Janardhan Reddy’s Obulapuram Mining Company allegedly plundered precious ore worth thousands of crores of rupees and exported it. Mr Janardhan Reddy was arrested by the CBI along with then mines secretary Y. Srilakshmi and then mines director V.D. Rajagopal in the mining scam.
The Centre appointed the Shah Commission following the Supreme Court clampdown on illegal mining in Goa. The commission has toured several states including Karnataka and Odisha and submitted an interim report in March and is continuing its study. The commission will hold its sitting for three days at the Lake View Guest House. It will visit mines in Kurnool district on June 27. The commission will examine the records of mines located in Srikakulam, Karimnagar, Viziana-garam, Anantapur, Adilabad and Prakasam districts.
It will examine whether miners have obtained valid permits from the respective regulatory agencies to secure leases besides probing the issue of benamis being engaged in mining operations. The commission will focus on irregularities in forest, revenue, infrastructure and industry departments. The Central Bureau of Investigation is already probing the mining scam in the state. CBI joint director V.V. Lakshminarayana along with officials deposed before the commission regarding their findings.
The commission had directed chief secretary Pankaj Dwivedi and secretaries of the forest, revenue, infrastructure and industry departments to appear before it on Monday. Special secretary, forests, M. Samuel, mines secretary Srinivasulu, revenue secretary Anil Punetha, infrastructure secretary Sunil Sharma appeared before the commission and submitted records pertaining to their departments. The commission directed the officials to be available till it completes the probe.