Mining leases: SPS seeks cancellation of mining leases of KIOCL, SAIL, VISL in Ballari district

Dharwad: NGO Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS), Jan Sangram Parishat and National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources have urged Justice B Sudarshan Reddy, appointed as the monitoring authority of the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC), to recommend to the Supreme Court for cancellation of mining leases of KIOCL, VISL and SAIL in Sandur taluk in Ballari district. In a letter to the AHJ, the SPS and others pointed out that the Supreme Court, in its order dated March 14, 2024, had asked the AHJ to submit a joint report by July 14, 2024. SPS Coordinator SR Hiremath and JSP Chief Deepak on Monday said that the mining leases granted to KIOCL for 450 hectares felling over 99,000 trees in the forests of Swamimalai block in Kumarswamy range (Deodar village) and to M/s SAIL/VISL for 60.7 hectares felling over 29,000 trees in Ramalai block in Ramanadurga range in Sandur Taluk of Ballari district would lead to destruction of immense biodiversity. The SPS had filed a PIL against leasing of forest areas for mining and the Supreme Court had ordered cancellation of the leases. Hiremath welcomed Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre’s directive to the Additional Chief Secretary not to sign KIOCL’s mining lease and not to hand over forest land.

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