Reddys mines flout rules,so freeze work: SC panel

After successfully downsizing Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa,the Reddy brothers of Bellary now have run into a big problem.

After successfully downsizing Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa,the Reddy brothers of Bellary now have run into a problem.

The Central Empowered Committee Environment and Forests of the Supreme Court has recommended that all mining activity in Obulapuram in Andhra Pradesh be suspended till an independent body fixes the boundaries of the mining area again.

The panel slammed the Andhra Pradesh government for trying to cover up illegal mining done by M/s Obulapuram Mining Company OMC in the unalloted forest areas outside the approved mining leases.

The Committee in its report submitted on Friday concluded that by reshaping borders and boundaries,illegal mining had been done by OMC. Owned by mining baron and Karnataka Toursim Minister Gali Janardhana Reddy,OMC may not be allowed to resume mining going by the recommendations of the Central Empowered Committee.

Coming down heavily on the Andhra Pradesh Government for giving a clean chit to the OMC,the Committee has stated that there are substantial differences and serious discrepancies in the mining lease boundaries determined and fixed now by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department vis-à-vis the boundaries of the approved mining leases.

Rubbishing the state governments report of April 28,2009 which dismissed allegations of illegal mining by OMC,the Committee observed: The objectivity,fairness and impartiality which is expected from a State Government is shockingly lacking here and does not inspire confidence.

The report adds: The CEC,after examining the matter,is of the considered view that the demarcation of the boundaries of the five mining leases and the conclusion reached by the State of Andhra Pradesh that M/s OMC is not involved in any illegal mining in the forest area outside its mining lease area suffers from serious defects and inconsistencies and is not at all in conformity with the approved mining leases.

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The Reddys were given leases of three mines,measuring 25.98,39.50 and 68.5 hectares at Obulapuram and H. Siddapuram villages in Anantapur district in 2002,2006 and 2007.

The report said: The location of the mining lease of M/s OMC 25.98 ha now fixed by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department is wrong and unacceptable. Their effort appears to have been to cover up the illegal mining done by M/s OMC in the unalloted forest areas outside the approved mining leases. This is simply not acceptable and vitiates the entire process of fixation of mining lease boundaries by the State of Andhra Pradesh.

The Committee has also recommended that after borders are fixed,only those mining companies that carried out mining within the approved mining leases may be permitted to resume mining operations.