Kerala: Attempt to scuttle mining case

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state police is resisting a move by the Mining and Geology department to scuttle a police case against a major illegal earth mining racket involving some of its officials. Over 200 loads of earth from a private plot near Kallambalam, under Parippally police station limits in Kollam, were smuggled by faking mineral transit passes under the pretext of boundary wall construction for KSEB sub-station at Kayamkulam. While the mining and geology department has questioned the authority of the police in initiating action against their officials under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, the police is of the stand that the case involved various sections of IPS for crimes like forgery and conspiracy.  

According to sources, the mining and geology director has sent a letter to the state police chief citing that the High Court had restricted the police from initiating actions under the Mines and Minerals Act. The letter even sought action against the police officials who initiated the case. The police is to reply that the case involved IPC sections and hence they could proceed. The Parippally police registered the case on November 15 after a tipper loaded with earth was seized from nearby Kulamada.

On further investigation it was found that the earth was being illegally mined by faking documents like land tax receipt of a land owned by a minor girl, settled abroad. The racket connived with some of her relatives. It was also found that about 450 transit passes were issued from the Thiruvananthapuram district geology office for compound wall construction at KSEB's Kayamkulam sub-station, even though no such work was taking place.  About 200 passes were found to have been already used. It was found that using one pass several loads of earth was illegally transported. The earth was supplied to various sites in Thiruvananthapuram - Kollam border areas using these passes. A mineral revenue inspector was already arrested in this connection, while a district geologist and four private parties wanted in the case were absconding.