Bangalore: The Karnataka government
today banned issue of permits to transport iron ore and other
minerals for exports, saying this necessary to protect natural
resources and check illegal mining and illegal export of
minerals.
"To protect the natural resources and to check illegal
mining and illegal export of minerals, it has been decided to
stop issue of Mineral Dispatch Permit with immediate effect,"
a notification issued by state`s Commerce and Industries
Department said here.
The notification said the Mines and Geology Department
was in the process of framing new set of guidelines governing
issue of transport permits for minerals in the wake of illegal
exports reported from Belekere and Karwar ports in recent
times.
The government was collecting information on the
quantum of minerals production in the state, extent of
minerals available for local industries for value addition and
the quantum that was being exported now, it said.
There was an urgent need to bring to a halt illegal
mining and illegal transport of minerals without permits, it
noted.
It has become inevitable for the government to ban
issue of permits until further orders, it said.
Two days ago, the BJP government ordered for closure
of 10 ports to curb illegal export of iron ore after it came
under intense attack from opposition Congress, which has
undertaken padayatra over the issue since July 25.
It is learnt that the decision to close ports and ban
issue of permits has not gone down well with Reddy brothers--
Tourism Minister G Janardhana Reddy and Revenue Minister G
Karunakara Reddy.
Even Congress MLA Santosh Lad, another mining baron,
has opposed such decisions of the government and declared he
would challenge in them legally.
Reddy brothers had spearheaded a dissident movement
against Yeddyurappa, demanding his ouster during September
last year and a truce was brought about by the intervention of
the BJP high command then.
The Congress has already dubbed the ports closure and
ban on issue of permits as an "eye wash and drama" by the BJP
government.
Minor ports which were closed by the government do not
engage in iron ore exports, Congress leaders maintained.
PTI
