Jairaj sends notice to officials on mining

BANGALORE: Additional Chief Secretary mining has sent a notice to all principal secretaries, secretaries, commissioners and directors of all departments to submit a detailed note on the ways and means to take disciplinary action against officials indicted by the Lokayukta in illegal mining issue. Government sources told  here on Thursday that following a direction from Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to the chief secretary to explore the action plan for initiating disciplinary action against erring officials, Jairaj has sent notice to the heads asking them to explain present posting of the officers, likely action that can be taken under Cadre and Recruitment Rules or under Prevention of Corruption Act. “After receiving a detailed reply from the principal secretaries and secretaries, Jairaj will have to summarise the entire report and submit it to the chief minister, indicating the nature of offence and the possible action against them. It may take some more time for the issue to go to the chief minister,” a top official said.It may be recalled that the final report of the Lokayukta on illegal mining submitted by N Santosh Hegde to the government had indicted 752 officials belonging to  revenue, forest, mines and RDPR departments of having colluded with the mining barons in the loot of natural wealth. While the political leaders — former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, important among the three Bellary Reddy brothers Janardhana — lost their jobs and are facing the probe, the officials, however, have not felt the heat in terms of probe or action.