BALLARI: Illegal mining is no longer a political issue in Ballari. However, the money associated with the extraction of ores certainly is.The District Mining Fund (DMF) and the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation (KMERC) Fund, collected as royalty and damages from illegal mines, have taken centre-stage in the local political narrative of Ballari. Every person contesting the elections speaks about the release of KMERC Fund and its utilisation for development.
“I will talk to the people concerned and ensure that a proposal is submitted before the apex court so that Ballari can start developing,” said Congress candidate V S Ugrappa. District in-charge minister D K Shivakumar too mentions the funds during his speeches.Not far behind is BJP candidate Y Devendrappa who promises to ensure an early release of the KMERC Fund and the judicious use of DMF.
MLA B Sriramulu repeatedly used the issue to attack Shivakumar during the Lok Sabha by-polls held late last year. He said Shivakumar was in Ballari for the money from the funds.Leaders liberally make promises of better facilities by using the funds.Surprisingly, neither does the common man nor any activist question or demand other funds from the government for development.
What is KMERC?
After mining was stopped, following complaints of large scale illegalities, the Supreme Court permitted the extraction of only 30 million tonnes of ore per annum. The court called for the formation of a committee to chalk out plans to rejuvenate the environment and rehabilitate people who lost their lands due to mining.
Accordingly the KMERC came into being in 2014 to ensure the judicious utilisation of the funds collected through the e-auction of the ore seized from illegal mining companies.“Currently, the KMERC’s special purpose has `12,175 crore. The KMERC aims to collect up to `23,067.39 crore by 2028-29 by the e-auction of the iron ore. This includes the interest and over `1,000 crore to be collected from the already auctioned ores from ‘C’ category mines,” said Sreshail Sandur, an activist based in Sandur.“C category mines are the illegal mines built upon encroached lands to such an extent that it is eligible for e-auction,” explains activist and political expert T G Vittal.