BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday passed the order for the Lokayukta to conduct inquiry and proceed in accordance with the provisions of the Karnataka Lokayukta Act, with regard to a PIL seeking direction for the restoration of 9,500 trees, which were destroyed because of illegal mining at Gundehalli village in Malur taluk of Kolar district.
Alleging that the government was planning to renew the licence of 19 firms for mining without recovering a fine of Rs 106 crore imposed on them for illegal mining, petitioners Ravindra and four others prayed the court to pass orders to initiate criminal proceedings against officials who allowed the mining, allegedly colluding with private firms.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum noted that there were trees at the location. However, they no longer exist on account of illegal mining and prima facie, it appears that the plantation has been destroyed due to mining, the HC added, ordering the inquiry.