KRS Dam row: Licenses of 33 mining units revoked in Mandya

Mandya: The district administration of Mandya on Tuesday revoked licenses of 11 mining units and 22 stone crushing units for not possessing environmental clearance certificates from the authorities concerned and not following stipulated norms in carrying out their activities.

An order issued by the head of the Mandya district Mines and Geology Department, said that at a meeting of the District Task Force (mining) on July 28, it was decided to revoke the licences, with effect from July 31. Citing provisions of the Karnataka Regulation of Stone Crushers Act 2011, the order added that stone crusher units cannot be permitted to operate within 100 metres of the main road, therefore, the licenses of seven units in Babybetta Kavalu in Pandavpura taluk stand cancelled.

Babybetta Kavalu has come under scanner for the last six months, as Mandya MP Sumalatha Ambareesh has been repeatedly claiming that rampant illegal mining activities in the area is posing a threat to the almost century old Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) dam, built across Cauvery river in Sriranagapattana in Mandya.

In a bid to monitor mining activities, a mobile squad has also been formed and will operate in Pandavapura, Srirangapatna and Nagamangala taluks where quarrying activities are taking place.

The squad, comprising personnel drawn from Revenue, Forest, Panchayat Raj, Police, and Mines and Geology Departments, will not only monitor illegal quarrying but also transportation of material.

Apart from this, the district administration has set up 11 new checkposts across Mandya to keep an eye on illegal transportation of materials from quarries and mines.

The authorities have also identified a few areas in the district as "hot spots" of illegal mining and quarrying, based on the complaints received from local people. Hence these areas have been declared as sensitive and there will be extra vigil by the task force.

These areas include Shimsha river bank, Babbybettakavalu, Channanakere, Ragimuddenahalli, Anekuppe, K. Honalagere, Jakkanahalli, Gowdanahalli, Kalenahalli, Ganamguru, Mudagadore, Hangarahalli, Siddapura, Chinnakurali, Kamanayakanahalli, Shambunahalli, Narahalli, Sangahalli, Gangasamudra, Devarahosuru, Kanthapura, Akkihebbalu, the Hemavathi river bank, and Agasanapura.

The issue of illegal mining triggered allegation and counter allegation among Congress, BJP and JDS legislators. Sumalatha also alleged earlier that the KRS reservoir developed cracks owing to rampant mining and blasting in Babybetta.

Last month a portion of the KRS retaining wall also collapsed but Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited engineers ruled out threat to safety of the reservoir. Then Sumalatha met Union Jal Shakthi Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhavat and urged him to ban all kinds of mining activities in Babybetta. She even met Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and urging them to order a CBI probe into mining activities in the district.

It is an open secret that the leaders and MLAs of all the three parties were involved in mining activities either directly or indirectly. More than 100 mining licenses were issued in Babybetta which is spread over 1,450 acres.

When Sumalatha made allegations of illegal mining, former

mines and geology minister Murugesh Nirani said the government was ready to order a thorough investigation if MP Sumalatha Ambareesh produced documentary evidence.

He said that as per his information, no mining activities were taking place around the dam or Babybetta. The revocation of licenses of stone quarry units proves that illegal quarry was going on. Though officials imposed lakhs of rupees as fine on illegal miners, they neither paid fine nor royalty due to the government. According to sources the outstanding royalty in the district exceeds Rs 1000 crore.