The Supreme Court on Thursday favoured initiation of immediate steps for opening of iron and ore mines in Karnataka,noting their closure has resulted in the slowdown of the steel industry. The industry is going low. The production should not be shut, said a Special Forest Bench comprising justices Aftab Alam,K S Radhakrishnan and Swatanter Kumar. The Bench also asked the authorities to ensure that Reclamation and Rehabilitation plans were not confined on the paper. The court was hearing an application filed by Karnataka Iron and Steel Manufacturing Association seeking direction to take immediate steps for opening of 16 iron and ore mines,in which the SC-appointed expert panel,central empowered committee,had found minimum irregularities. The SC said it would pass order on August 17 after going through the report submitted by the committee. Pay up for breaking wildlife laws: SC to Orissa Cong leaders The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere with an Orissa High Court order in alleged violation of wildlife laws by state Congress leaders Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra and Samir Routray. Disposing of the state governments challenge to the HC order,the apex court asked both of them to deposit Rs 2 lakh each,which will be used for wildlife purposes. The state forest department had registered cases against Mohapatra and Routray,along with seven others,under the Wildlife Protection Act for entering the Wild Life Sanctuary in April 1991,for hunting animals.
