The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) informed the Supreme Court on Friday that mining operations in 63 iron ore leases falling in category B in Karnataka may be allowed to be resumed after fulfilment of certain conditions.
Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appointed amicus curiae in the case, told the forest bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam that the iron ore mines falling into category B can be allowed to resume quarrying activists after completion of the reclamation and rehabilitation (R&R) work and paying appropriate compensation for the massive ecological loss caused by them due to largescale illegal mining.
The CEC has recommended that the 63 category B leases, in the state’s Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur districts, must pay compensation at the rate of `5 crores per hectare of area under illegal mining pits and `1 crore per hectare of area under illegal mining over burden dumps, roads, offices, etc., outside the sanctioned area. The recommended amount is minimum base figure for compensation and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) or another appropriate authority can be approached for more compensation for environmental damage, the CEC report added.
The CEC has put the leases of the iron ore mines into A, B and C categories based on the level of illegalities and irregularities allegedly resorted by them.
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All nuclear installations safe: ndma
age correspondent
New Delhi, Sept 28
Amidst ongoing protests against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday said that all nuclear installations in the country were safe and there was no need for any worry for the people living in the surrounding areas. The NDMA will also conduct mock drills at the Koodankulam nuclear plant before it is operationalised, NDMA vice-chairman M. Shashidhar Reddy said.
“There is no need for any concern for any of the plants,” he said at a press conference here. Mr Reddy said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, senior government officials and experts have repeatedly said there will be no compromise on the safety standard of any of the nuclear plants. “Not only Koodankulam but Kalpakkam Atomic Power Station, which too is located in Tamil Nadu, is also safe. Government has taken several safety measures and it will continue to do so. I think there is need for some awareness,” he said on the occasion of the 8th foundation day of the NDMA.