Second report on illegal mining by month-end: Santosh Hegde

Second report on illegal mining by month-end: Santosh Hegde

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 10: Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde has said that the Supreme Court’s order to include representatives of the Lokayukta in the new team that will survey mining areas in Bellary-Hospet region will help in the preparation of the second report on illegal mining in Karnataka.

On Friday, the Forest Bench, comprising Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia, Justice Aftab Alam and Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan, ordered setting up of a new team to conduct a fresh survey and demarcate the boundaries of 99 mining leases in the Bellary-Hospet forest region. Apart from representatives of the Karnataka Lokayukta, the new team will have representatives from the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and the departments of Forests, and Mines and Geology of Karnataka.

Mr. Hegde told The Hindu on Monday that the Supreme Court’s order would not hamper the work of preparing the second report on illegal mining, which would be released by the month-end.

He said: “It will actually help us. We are yet to assign our representatives to the new team,” he added.

Mr. Hegde submitted in December 2008 the first report on illegal mining.Mr. Hegde said the meetings of the Lokpal Drafting Committee, of which he is a member, so far had been “fruitful.”

He said discussions were being held on issues such as autonomy and financial independence of the Lokpal.