Relook into mining in Chitradurga demanded

CHITRADURGA: The Akhila Karnataka Parisara Samrakshana Vedike, which is campaigning for curbing mining activities in the district, has requested the government to reassess the area under illegal mining and seized iron ore at S No 52 of Siddagondanahalli village (Hosur Bhovi Hatti).
"The current seized ore stock runs to more than 60,000 metric tonnes, whereas the department bowing to pressure from influential politicians has assessed it to as a mere 32,400 MT," vedike general secretary B T Jagadish told Express on Friday. He added that Nafri Mines and Minerals Private Limited which won the bid during the auction, was permitted to lift 5,000 MT in the first consignment. While doing so, they extracted 9,750 MT of iron ore from the spot illegally and even remitted a fine of `1.01 crore.Expressing doubt that the company will resort to illegal mining if they are allowed to lift the remaining stock, Jagadish demanded that the stock lying at the spot should be confiscated as per instructions in the bid papers.