BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed ministers and senior officers to set up a single-window system to resolve mining lease issues. Mines and geology, revenue and forest ministers and officers must hold monthly meetings to resolve issues related to forest clearance, and other permissions to mining companies on the model of a single-window system, he said.
He held a high-level meeting to settle pending issues related to the forest department, with agencies that come under the mines and geology department in the state.
The discussions included many pending cases with the forest department which are not yet resolved as mining companies had not provided alternative land for afforestation, said a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office. Farmers in Arasikere and other parts of the state are willing to sell their agricultural land due to elephant and other wild animal menace. The chief minister suggested that companies purchase land from such farmers and use it for afforestation.
An application was submitted to the Centre on the Parivesh portal for permission to carry out mineral exploration in Karnataka through Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd and Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd. Siddaramaiah directed the department of mines and geology to discuss with these companies to get quick clearance. He also instructed officials to take advice from legal experts for disposal of 2.7 million tonnes of ore confiscated from illegal mining lying in forest areas.
AMEND BYLAWS: CM
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has instructed the Karnataka Mining Environment Restoration Corporation to amend the bylaws of the corporation to make the CM as the chairman of the governing body to enable it to effectively implement the action plan of the Comprehensive Development Plan for Mining Impact Zones (CEPMIZ) in mine-affected districts as approved by the Supreme Court. He directed the corporation to prioritise the effective implementation of the Comprehensive Development Plan for mining sectors.