Second phase of mining survey begins

The Central environmental impact assessment team, which conducted the first phase of their survey in the mining areas of the State last year, are back in the district for the second phase.

The team, which held a meeting with officers of various departments at JSW Steel’s auditorium in Torangal on Thursday afternoon, visited the RBSSN mining area in Hospet in the evening.

The 12-member team headed by Union Ministry of Environment and Forestry Director Dr V K Bahuguna and comprising Indian Council of Forestry Research Institute’s Additional Director General Pankaj Agrawal, senior officers of the Environment and Forestry department, environmental scientists and experts arrived from New Delhi on Wednesday evening.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bahuguna said the team will chose a mining area in the district as example and demonstrate how mining can be carried out without impacting the environment negatively.

Bahuguna said that the team, which has already submitted a report to the Supreme Court after the first phase of its survey, will suggest ways of rebuilding areas that have been exploited by uncontrolled mining activities.

The team will also study the impact mining has had on the health of people living around these areas. After the survey at Bellary, the Central team will head to Chitradurga and Tumkur.

Deputy Commissioner A A Biswas, Mines and Geology department Deputy Director Shankar, District Forest Officer Manikanta, Sandur In-charge Tahsildar Dasappa and officers from the Forest, Revenue, Mines and Geology departments were present at the meeting. The survey in the three districts will be completed by January 12.