Karnataka says no to mining in Devadari forest despite approval by Union minister Kumaraswamy
Around one lakh trees were feared to be chopped in the Devadari forest if Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited were to go ahead with its mining proposal.
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H D KumaraswamyAmid environmentalists’ opposition to starting mining operations in the Devadari forest in Ballari district, the Karnataka government has stopped the transfer of forest land to Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) for mining.
The decision comes a week after Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H D Kumaraswamy approved the commencement of mining operations by KIOCL, a public sector undertaking that proposed mining in the forest area near Sandur in 2018.
In a letter dated June 21, Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre directed officials not to transfer forest land to the company. KIOCL had proposed to start operations in 401.5 hectares of forest land in the Devadari forest in Swamimalai block near Sandur. Around one lakh trees were expected to be chopped in the forest area if the company were to go ahead with its mining plan.
“There are complaints that (KIOCL) has failed to implement the directions of the Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC) within the stipulated time, over violations that took place when the company took up mining activity at Kudremukh national forest,” Khandre said in the letter.
The minister also directed the forest department not to transfer the land until KIOCL implemented the directions of the CEC, which was formed after the company was taken to the Supreme Court over allegations that its open-cast mining had polluted the Bhadra river.
The state government’s decision followed a meeting chaired by Khandre over the issue.
Kumaraswamy has faced opposition from environmentalists after he cleared KIOCL’s file related to the mining proposal.
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