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Dharwad-based National Committee for Protection of Natural Resources (NCPNR) has demanded mining industries to give an undertaking about their responsibility for reclamation of mined areas, according to the plan submitted and approved by the Indian Bureau of Miners (IBM).
Also, the NCPNR has urged for reclamation of mined areas for ecological restoration and the involvement of University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) -Raichur.
“The NCPNR has asked the Karnataka Government to take firm steps for implementation of obligation of reclamation of mined areas by mine owners and the involvement of UAS-Raichur,” said Mr S. R. Hiremath, founder president of NCPNR.
Mr Hiremath is also the president of Samaj Parivartana Samudaya (SPS), which had filed a writ petition in Supreme Court against the illegal mining in Karnataka. According to Mr Hiremath, NCPNR held a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, UAS-Raichur, Dr B.V. Patil and his colleagues, along with Mr Viren Lobo, Executive Director of the Society for Promotion of Wasteland Development (SPWD), and IDS and others on May 31, and discussed the issue of reclamation of mined areas.
“With this we have laid foundation for future work of ecological restoration of mined areas in Bellary, Hospet and Sandur (BHS) region,” he added.
This ecological restoration move comes as a follow up to the visit of officials from SPWD in February 2011 to the Andhra Pradesh side of the Bellary Reserve Forest (BRF), where the mines, OMC and AMC, owned by the Reddy brothers, are located .
Jan Sangram Parishad (JSP) supported by NCPNR, Gram Ganrajya Vedike (GGV) and other organisations, is planning to take a 10-day major awareness drive (jatha) in 10 districts of the State.
Mr Hiremath said the jatha would commence at Raichur from July 9 and pass through Bellary, Davangere, Chitradurga, Koppal, Gadag, Haveri, Tumkur and Mysore, before reaching Bangalore on July 19.
As part of the awareness drive, JSP plans to educate people on illegal mining and related issues (like including reclamation of mined areas) with specific demands for the replacement of Ministers, Mr G. Janardhana Reddy (district in-charge Minister, Bellary) Mr Somanna (district in-charge Minister, Hassan), Mr Somashekar Reddy, KMF Chairman, for illegal mining.
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