Tweet
Illegal mining has been continuing unabated in Karnataka despite the ban imposed by the state government on iron ore exports.
This has been proved by the findings of investigation agencies like the Lokayukta and CBI, which have been looking into illegal mining in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh respectively.
Apart from identifying an illegal route through the forests, where iron ore from Bellary was being illegally transported to the Krishnapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh, the sleuths of both agencies found to their shock that iron ore from Karnataka was mixed with ore from Andhra Pradesh, before it was exported via the port.
According to sources, the two agencies had verified the invoices of various miners from the state and Andhra Pradesh at Krishnapatnam and the quality of iron ore available in the two states to prove that the ore exported was a mixture of iron ore from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
This is how it works. Soon after the ban was imposed in Karnataka, the Lokayukta realized that miners were using forest routes to circumvent the checkposts and reach Andhra Pradesh.
The ore was transported with permits from Andhra Pradesh, stating that they were extracted at mines in Ananthpur district and taken to Krishnapatnam port from where it was exported. After verifying the invoices, the agencies realized that the iron ore exported was of superior grade, compared to that available in Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh.
The CBI engaged around 50 geologists to verify the iron ore available in Karnataka and the ore available in Ananthpur district. The Fe Content (FC) in ore at Ananthpur was at least 25 per cent lesser than the FC of ore in Karnataka.
Admitting that there was a variation, Lokayukta Justice Santhosh Hegde said that even his organization had received the same information.
``I am not sure if the CBI and Lokayukta have exchanged the information available to them. However, our examination revealed that the FC in iron ore from Karnataka was over 64%, while in Ananthpur district, it was around 40. However, the records at Krishnapatnam port show that iron ore with above 55% FC has been exported. This proves our point that the iron ore was illegally transported, circumventing the check posts,’’ he said.
This has been proved by the findings of investigation agencies like the Lokayukta and CBI, which have been looking into illegal mining in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh respectively.
Apart from identifying an illegal route through the forests, where iron ore from Bellary was being illegally transported to the Krishnapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh, the sleuths of both agencies found to their shock that iron ore from Karnataka was mixed with ore from Andhra Pradesh, before it was exported via the port.
According to sources, the two agencies had verified the invoices of various miners from the state and Andhra Pradesh at Krishnapatnam and the quality of iron ore available in the two states to prove that the ore exported was a mixture of iron ore from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
This is how it works. Soon after the ban was imposed in Karnataka, the Lokayukta realized that miners were using forest routes to circumvent the checkposts and reach Andhra Pradesh.
The ore was transported with permits from Andhra Pradesh, stating that they were extracted at mines in Ananthpur district and taken to Krishnapatnam port from where it was exported. After verifying the invoices, the agencies realized that the iron ore exported was of superior grade, compared to that available in Ananthpur district of Andhra Pradesh.
The CBI engaged around 50 geologists to verify the iron ore available in Karnataka and the ore available in Ananthpur district. The Fe Content (FC) in ore at Ananthpur was at least 25 per cent lesser than the FC of ore in Karnataka.
Admitting that there was a variation, Lokayukta Justice Santhosh Hegde said that even his organization had received the same information.
``I am not sure if the CBI and Lokayukta have exchanged the information available to them. However, our examination revealed that the FC in iron ore from Karnataka was over 64%, while in Ananthpur district, it was around 40. However, the records at Krishnapatnam port show that iron ore with above 55% FC has been exported. This proves our point that the iron ore was illegally transported, circumventing the check posts,’’ he said.
