Karnataka’s state forest department has rejected proposals from the mines and geology department seeking approval for mining in protected forest areas in Ballari and Vijayanagar districts, escalating tensions between the two departments. The rejection of these proposals has put a damper on plans to boost state revenue through mining activities, while reinforcing the forest department’s commitment to conserving the environment.
At a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, which involved top officials from both the forest and mines and geology departments, the forest department made its position clear. Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre cited state and central regulations, along with recommendations from the Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee (CEC), to reject mining in untouched forest areas. “The CEC has already identified 14 mining blocks (C-category) that are fragmented due to previous mining activities,” said a forest official. “Instead of mining in pristine forest areas, Khandre emphasized that mining companies should focus on these already disturbed zones.”
The mines and geology department had proposed opening approximately 600 hectares in the Jaisingapura North and South blocks in Ballari district, and about 400 hectares in the Vyasanakere block in Vijayanagar district for mining. However, Khandre stated that if mining companies adhere to CEC guidelines and the proposals are valid, there would be no objections.
The ongoing dispute has been fueled by concerns over the decline in revenue from the mining sector. In November, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed frustration over an 8% drop in revenue and urged the mines and geology department to resolve its differences with the forest department to focus on revenue generation. Despite this, Khandre emphasized that the law must be upheld and cannot be manipulated to accommodate mining requests.
Additionally, during the discussion on Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd’s proposal to mine the Devadari block, Khandre reminded the Chief Minister that the company still has pending payments to the government and has not compensated for damages caused to the Western Ghats. The forest department’s stance remains firm: protecting the environment takes precedence over revenue-generating initiatives.
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