SC Allows Reddy Brothers to Restart Mining in Undisputed Areas
Giving relief to mining barons Reddy brothers, the Supreme Court has allowed their Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) to restart mining in the undisputed areas of the Bellary reserve forest in Karnataka, said media reports.
A bench comprising of Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and BS Chauhan gave permission to OMC to restart mining activity within 150 meters of the Karnataka border, reports said.
However, the bench made it clear that the mining operations will be carried out only in the undisputed areas of the lease granted by the Karnataka government and that the mining could be put to a stop if the Survey of India decides to, said reports.
On March 22, the apex court had prohibited OMC from mining and appointed a committee comprising of officials of the Survey of India, the forest, irrigation and revenue departments of Andhra Pradesh, besides representatives of the Reddy brothers to look into allegations of illegal mining and violation of leased areas.
The court today also instructed Karnataka to anoint officials from forest and mining departments to assist the committee in demarcating the boundary between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, reports said.
The court has asked the committee to complete the final survey within two months, said reports.
The Reddy brothers, who own mining leases for over 136 hectares of land spread in Andhra Pradesh’s Anantapur district, are accused of encroaching on reserve forest lands.
(Based on internet reports)
