The Lok Ayukta report on illegal mining has called the bluff of the BS Yeddyurappa government that it went all out to wipe out illegal mining operations from the state.
In fact, every time a noise was made about illegal mining in the public discourse, the illegal mining mafia only ended up intensifying their activities, with active abetment from the state government.
Illegal mining operations appear to have peaked after the Karnataka Lokayukta submitted his first report on the same in December 2008.
The exports in illegal iron ore peaked during 2009-10. About 1,27,99,396 metric tonnes of iron ore was exported during the year. Even in 20010-11 when export of iron ore was allowed during four months of the year, 48.06,719 metric tonnes of illegal iron ore was exported.
The quantity of illegal iron ore exported during these four months was higher than the annual figures for 2006-07 and 2007-08 and almost equal to that of 2008-09.
This happened after the Belekeri port was raided in February 2010 and the event dogged the limelight, the report had not failed to mention.
Citing another example in this regard, the Lokayukta pointed out that after the government banned the issue of permits for destinations for exports on July 28, 2010, there were 83 exports with a total quantity of 17,58,336 metric tonnes of iron ore. The ban on issue of permits for destinations for exports was effectively the ban on all export of iron ore from the 10 ports.
However, the export of iron ore of Karnataka origin continued, albeit from ports outside the state. About 14,85,076 metric tonnes of iron ore was exported from Krishnapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh and the rest was exported from Chennai.
The Lok Ayukta’s final report on illegal mining in the state has unravelled the various methods used by the illegal mining mafia to transport iron ore and and exported the same through ports during 2006-10.
What is illicit iron ore?
Defining illicit ore, the report states that any iron ore extracted beyond permitted quantity in the mining plan is illicit. Ore transported without transit permits, non-payment of royalty and also theft of state property is illegal. Similary, any mining operation in contravention of lease conditions is illegal.
