BELLARY: The raids by the Forest Department on some of the mining companies and filing of cases against family members of the former Minister D.K. Shivakumar has brought into focus the lure of money from mining that has caught the attention of political leaders to Bellary district.

The decision of the State Government to crack down on illegal mining has set off alarm bells among mine owners. This could open a can of worms, since many mine owners are said to have strong political links. The latest episode in Sandur has brought into open a murkier facet of illegal mining in the district.

MLC G. Janardhana Reddy was the first to make allegations of the existence of a mining lobby with political nexus.

He had levelled briber charges against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, Home Minister M.P. Prakash and Forest Minister C. Chennigappa and released the so-called evidence through CDs.

A writ petition filed by him seeking a CBI inquiry into the allegations is pending before the Karnataka High Court. Even Mr. Chennigappa, during one of his visits to the districts accompanied by Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Dilip Kumar and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) K.J. Verma in February this year, had alleged that there were evidences of mine owners extracting iron ore and evading taxes running into several crores of rupees.

Mr. Chennigappa had said that the boundaries for mines had not been fixed, ore extraction was beyond the permitted capacity and environmental guidelines had been given a goby. He had ordered to place four officers of the department, including a Range Forest Officer, Sandur, two foresters and a second division assistant under suspension as preliminary inquiries revealed that these four officials of the department were "hand in glove" with the mine owners and supported illegal mining activities.

Three taluks of Bellary district — Sandur, Hospet and Bellary — have rich deposits of iron ore and around 90 of the mines came under the scanner of the Forest Department. Mining operations were being carried out for years. It was only after the boom in the iron ore market that the lucre of mining attracted the attention of politicians.

Bellary district, more notorious for hot weather, suddenly saw the advent of fancy luxurious cars on its roads. Mine owners began to acquire helicopters and private aircraft. Anil Lad, Kudligi MLA and a mine owner, was the first to acquire a helicopter. According to reports, mine owners began to violate every rule in the book to meet the huge demand for iron ore from China and this made them seek political patronage.

Agricultural lands were turned into mines in Hospet and Sandur taluk. The ore from these lands are supplied to sponge iron units that mushroomed in the district. Relentless mining and movement of thousands of lorries to transport ore from mines not only affected the environment and ecology but also damaged roads in the district.

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