SC suspends mining activities in Bellary

New Delhi: In the midst of a political upheaval in Karnataka, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered immediate suspension of mining and transportation of iron ore from Bellary district of the state saying “over-exploitation” of the area has caused large-scale environmental degradation.The apex court passed the order by taking note of the latest 23-page report of its expert panel, Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which said most of the miners in the region were indulging in illegal mining causing considerable emvironmental damge. A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia said a “holistic” view was required in view of the July 28 report of the CEC which indicated that mining of iron ore in the Bellary-Hospet forest region of Karnataka, was going on “without sufficient infrastructure”. The order came two days after Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde, a retired apex court judge, brought out a detailed report on rampant illegal mining in the districts of Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga and its adverse impact on the environment and the people of these areas. (PTI)