The CEC, in its report submitted to the Supreme Court on November 19, has recommended the court suspend all mining leases till the demarcation of boundary of mining lease areas in the district was done.
Further, in a letter dated November 23 and signed by a member of the committee M K Jiwrajka, the CEC has asked the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh to ‘take immediate steps to stop the mining operations including transportation of already mined material, from all six mine leases dealt with in the CEC’s report.’
The OMC, owned by Tourism Minister Janardana Reddy and Health Minister Sriramulu, has three mining leases in the Bellary Reserved Forest area. Anantpura Mining Company, also owned by the Reddys, possesses a lease.
YM & Sons and BIOP each have one mining lease in the district. Going by the advice of the CEC, Andhra Pradesh government had to stop operation of all these mine leases.
The CEC, constituted by the Supreme Court, filed its report with respect to a complaint filed by Tapal Ganesh, a mine owner in Bellary, before the Supreme Court.
The Andhra Pradesh government, following protests from Opposition parties, referred the alleged illegal mining activities of OMC to the CBI.