Bellary (Karnataka): The CBI on Friday conducted
searches at the office of National Mineral Development
Corporation here and examined certain documents over alleged
illegal mining carried out by Deccan Mining Syndicate in NMDC
areas, police said.
The searches by the eight-member CBI team come after the
investigative agency filed a case on October 4 against DMS for
allegedly encroaching mining areas belonging to NMDC.
NMDC had filed a police complaint alleging that DMS had
encroached on its mining areas.
The Central Empowered Committee's report had also
referred to DMS getting into a deal with Associated Mining
Company to extract ore from its mining lease area when its
extraction activity was centred in Andhra Pradesh at the NMDC
site.
On July 29, the Supreme Court had ordered immediate
suspension of mining and transportation of iron ore from
Bellary district, stating that "over-exploitation" of the area
has caused large-scale environmental degradation.
The court passed the order by taking note of the report
of its expert panel, Central Empowered Committee, which said
most miners in the region were indulging in illegal mining,
causing considerable environmental damage.
PTI
First Published: Friday, October 14, 2011, 18:26