ANANTAPUR: Even as the Opposition parties are demanding a CBI probe into the alleged encroachment by Karnataka Tourism Minister Gali Janardhan Reddy’s Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) on the land of the Bellary Iron Ore Limited (BIOL), it appears that the State Government is well aware of the truth in the allegations.
A government survey document available with TNIE, clearly identifies the encorached areas.
The Forest Department, Anantapur, following a written complaint by the BIOL, had directed the Forest Range Officer, Kalyandurg, to verify the same. It is learnt, and corroborated in the notice served by the District Forest Officer (DFO) Ananatapur (Rc No.3092/2009/G3) on the OMC, that the Kalyandurg Forest Range Officer and the Obulapuram Forest Beat Officer, did find mining activity in ‘‘occupied’’ land of BIOL close to the boundary between H Siddapuram and Obulapuram.
To corroborate this, subsequently, the Forest Range Officer, Penukonda, was directed to visit the same area and prepare a sketch of the alleged trespass by the OMC into the mining lease area of BIOL.
The officer presented a survey sketch, verified by the surveyor, S&LRS Department in Kurnool, pinpointing the exact location and size of encroachment along with its GPS coordinates –– showing clearly the area in which OMC carried out illegal mining inside BIOL.