Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Friday said in the state Assembly that the "loot" of iron ore has been going on unchecked since 2003-04 and favoured an inquiry into the matter. Hitting back at the Opposition after it sharpened its attack on government on the issue,he said "the loot of iron ore has been going on since 2003-04 and it happened during the regimes of H D Kumaraswamy,N Dharam Singh and even during my tenure." "There is a need to put an end to this menace. I am willing to lead a delegation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow itself to plead for a ban on export of iron ore," Yeddyurappa said. He offered to place all the records on the floor of the House and asserted he was firm that the iron ore export should be banned and the entire natural wealth should be used in the country itself. The Chief Minister also offered to order a probe into the issue,saying "there should be an inquiry into the matter. The guilty should be punished. I am ready to do anything. You give suggestions". The illegal mining issue came to the fore again with the resignation of Lokayukta Santosh Hegde,who had criticised the BJP government for being 'indifferent' on corruption and particularly on illegal mining,providing fresh ammunition to the opposition to attack the government. During 2004-05 when Congress-JDS coalition was in power,52.29 lakh tonnes of iron ore was exported illegally from the state,he alleged and told the opposition "don't try to hurl stones at other's glass house while you yourself have been living in one of it". Intervening during the debate on the causes that led to Hegde's resignation,Yeddyurappa said "I am not taking any defence. The menace should end". Opposition Congress Leader Siddaramaiah questioned why the government has not taken action against illegal mining even after two years of coming in power and 18 months after the Lokayukta submitted its report. "All those involved should go to jail. If the Chief Minister has guts,let him seek a CBI probe into it," he said. Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy,a mining magnate of Bellary district who is facing allegations of illegal mining,said the government has acted on Lokayukta report and slapped closure notices on 58 mines,but they continued operations as per court orders.
