After Bellary, it’s the turn of Chitradurga and Tumkur districts which came under scanner by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) who found a large-scale and “reckless” iron ore mining there.

Owing to the report submitted by the Committee, Supreme Court issued notice to the Karnataka government and other private miners to suspend the mining activities. The report presented findings of about 55 mining leases in Tumkur and about 18 mining leases in 687 hectare, 500 hectare of which lies in the forest land in Chitradurga.

The apex’s court bench comprised of three respectable members Justice Aftab Alam and Justice Swatanter led by Chief Justice S. H. Kapadia took the decision after reviewing the report which clearly stated that mining in these places is being conducted in an environmentally unsustainable manner for short-term private gains.

Due to their illegal mining in 2,678 hectare, they are harming the forest land. Even the mining construction at two districts did not consider the principle of inter-generational equity. Therefore, the apex court has ordered to carry out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in Chitradurga and Tumkur districts.

The report said, “This court’s July 29 order, by which the mining operations have been suspended (in Bellary), may be extended in respect of the mining leases in districts of Tumkur and Chitradurga”.