MYSURU: On a day Mandya MP Sumalatha demanded that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa order a CBI probe into illegal mining around the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) reservoir, former CM H D Kumaraswamy said that he had not permitted any illegal mining during his tenure and would welcome it if such activity is stopped. He said that an inquiry will throw light on the fact that his government had banned mining activities in a 20-km radius of KRS.
Sumalatha said the government should stop illegal mining to protect the reservoir, which is the lifeline of the region. Alleging that she and some officials were stopped from visiting a few sites and a bridge to ascertain the status of mining activities, she said “permission is required from certain people” to visit the illegal mining areas around KRS.
She also pulled up officials for allowing illegal mining in Hanagarahalli in Srirangapatna taluk and referred to fresh tracks of vehicles. While pointing out that more than 20 vehicles had been seized, she demanded that officials give in writing that there is no mining activity in the region. Villagers have alleged that mining activities are carried out in revenue land, she said, and wanted to know why revenue officials were turning a blind eye to it.
The MP accused Kumaraswamy of doing injustice to the people of Mandya and reiterated that she will continue her struggle against illegal mining to protect the reservoir.On his part, the former CM, who spoke to reporters, urged Sumalatha to point out the cracks in the structure.
Referring to the MP’s allegations that his government had tapped her phone and also that of the Adichunchanagiri seer, Kumaraswamy shot back saying, “I would not have lost the government if we had tapped phones.” He also said that injustice will not be done to the people of Mandya in the MySugar and MANMUL issues.
Meanwhile, Srirangapatna MLA Ravindra Srikantanaiah, who visited the KRS reservoir, said that the talk about cracks in the reservoir are baseless. Ravindra said illegal mining started in 2007 when Ambareesh was a Parliament member. He further alleged that Ambareesh had even visited the illegal mining site in Hangarahalli, run by his supporter.Reacting to this, Sumalatha lashed out at the MLA for ‘lying’ to the people and recalled that Ambareesh had once lost the election from Srirangapatna and was a victim of a conspiracy.