One lakh people lost jobs due to mining ban: Gowda

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One lakh people have lost their jobs in Karnataka and the state will suffer an annual revenue loss of Rs 4,000 crore due to the ban on mining in Bellary District, Karnataka Chief Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda on Wednesday said while expressing concern over the situation.

He was responding to a question on the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) recently recommending to the Supreme Court that it extend the ban on mining in the districts of Tumkur and Chitradurga, as was done in Bellary.

Speaking at a meet-the-press programme, Gowda said the Supreme Court's judgement on the issue would be accepted and obeyed but added: "We are a little bit worried because nearly one lakh people have lost their jobs all over Karnataka and nearly Rs 4,000 crore coming to the state exchequer (will not come now)."

"These are things we are little bit worried (about). But certainly we will look into how to manage all this," he added.

Gowda, however, said the state's finances were sound. Direct tax collection in April-July this year had gone up to Rs 14,358 crore, from Rs 11,950 crore in the same period last fiscal, reflecting a 20 per cent growth.

On July 29, the apex court ordered suspension of mining and transportation of iron ore from Bellary district taking note of CEC's report which said most of the miners in the region were indulging in illegal mining causing considerable environmental damage.