Did Siddaramaiah get Delhi’s order on mining wrong?

BALLARI: As leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Siddaramaiah led a 320 km march by Congressmen from Bengaluru to Ballari to protest against illegal mining in 2010, but as Chief Minister he has evidently misread the Union government’s policy on mining to throw open iron ore-rich virgin forests for exploration by private firms.  

On May 11, 2015, the state government issued an order for auction of eco-sensitive, ore-rich forest areas of Sandur in accordance with the Mines and Minerals (Development) Regulation Act, 2015. Interestingly, this order seems identical to one issued by the government headed by Chief Minister S M Krishna on March 15, 2003. The order issued in 2003 was stayed by the Karnataka High Court in the wake of writ petitions filed by firms which had applied for mining leases.

Official sources said in the first phase, officers of departments of mines and geology, forest, and revenue have jointly commenced a survey in respect of nine forest blocks spread across about 3682.23 hectares for auction.

The government has identified altogether 22 blocks in the forest around Sandur spread across 11, 000 hectares for private mining, and a survey would be conducted for these areas in phased manner, according to official sources.

On Monday, en route Vijayapura, Mr Siddaramaiah reportedly told a group of people of Sandur who opposed reopening of the forest area for mining operations that the survey was being undertaken as per a notification issued in 2003, and the government had no intention of issuing licences for mining in Sandur forest area.

When they brought to his notice the fact that an order issued on May 25 by director, department of mines and geology, to his sub-ordinates where it was mentioned that survey was being undertaken to auction mining leases, Mr Siddaramaiah maintained “many of the steel mills in the state are facing acute shortage in supply of iron ore and hence the Union government has directed the state to identify fresh ore deposits and permit mining activities in accordance with the new MMDR Act 2015, and we are implementing the same orders of the Union government”.

Official sources, however, said there was no specific order from the Union government to reopen mining in Sandur forests or any other parts, but the new Act has only specified to issue mining leases through competitive bidding through tenders.    

Therefore, the decision of the state government to throw open virgin forests for mining has raised many questions as the Supreme Court has placed a ceiling of 25 million metric tonnes of iron ore every year for Ballari district alone, and that production should not exceed the limit set by the apex court.

At present, the department of mines and geology expects about 21 MMT iron ore from category A and B mines a year and once all 35 category A and 43 category B mines get operational on completion of reclamation and rehabilitation work in mining areas, the production figure could the annual ceiling of 25 million metric tonnes a year.

Besides, the yield of iron ore from C category mines after their auction by the state government would be sufficient to meet the demand of steel plants across the state for at least 20 years, sources added.

Supreme Court yet to consider plea of Samaj Parivartan Samudaya

In a PIL filed in the Supreme Court, S R Hiremath, head of Samaj Parivartan Samudaya, has appealed for protection of forest blocks listed in the government order. Therefore, any order facilitating the resumption of mining operations would be premature as the apex court is yet to consider the prayer made in the PIL against the legality of the government order issued in March 2003 for throwing open additional forest areas for mining.