2 indicted for issuing illegal permits

BANGALORE: The Lokayukta has indicted two senior officials in Tumkur district, including one from the Department of Mines and Geology, for issuing mineral dispatch permit to a firm owned by Vinod Goel, in gross violation of norms.Goel is allegedly involved in “fraudulent mining activities” in the Janthakal Enterprises scam, in which former CM H D Kumaraswamy is the prime accused.The Lokayukta, which had investigated the alleged illegal mining activities of the Hanuman Mines in Tumkur district, has unearthed the fraudulent acts of T Thimmappa, the then Deputy Director of Mines and Geology, Tumkur, and has strongly recommended stringent action against him for                            conniving with Goel.The company has allegedly excavated over 4,37,000 MT of iron ore against the permissible limit of 7,300 MT per annum, and the Lokayukta has recommended slapping of a penalty of an amount which is equal to five times the market value of iron ore excavated illegally.It is alleged that, when Hanuman Mines, which had sought permission from the authorities to undertake mining operations in an area of over 205 acres in Tumkur, the applicant had falsely claimed that the entire tract was revenue land. However, during the Lokayukta investigation, it was found that the part granted for mining lease was forest land bearing Sy No 95 of the Rajathadripura reserve forest in Tumkur.The deputy director of Mines and Geology, despite knowing the fact that the land in which the company had sought permission for mining belonged to the forest department, had failed to bring it to the notice of higher authorities.The report stated that if a part of leased area belonged to forest land, the approval of the Central government under the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980, was mandatory. No mining is allowed even in the revenue land till approval is obtained. However, in this case, mining was allowed to continue unabatedly with the connivance of local officials.The Lokayukta found the environment officer, Tumkur, guilty of allowing mining without adhering to the permitted quantity. The mining company succeeded in obtaining clearance for enhanced production of iron ore.