Date:07/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/07/stories/2006070711640500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Illegal mining: Council adjourned

Staff Reporter

Meeting convened by acting Chairman fails to break deadlock over the issue

BANGALORE: Acting Chairman of the Legislative Council Sachidanand L. Khot on Thursday adjourned the House for the day following the Congress members' refusal to withdraw their dharna demanding that the Government table the U.B. Singh report on illegal mining activities in Bellary district and in Kanakapura taluk.

The House was scheduled to reassemble at 3 p.m. after the lunch break, but it met only at 5 p.m. after a meeting of party leaders and senior members of the House convened by Mr. Khot failed to sort out the issue.

As the House reassembled, Leader of the House D.H. Shankaramurthy said the Government had not received the details sought by the Opposition pertaining to illegal mining. It would provide all the details sought by the Opposition as soon as it was made available to the Government.

Contesting his reply, Leader of the Opposition H.K. Patil claimed that the Government had already received the U.B. Singh report.

It had deliberately been making attempts to suppress the report in which the names of 78 companies or individuals engaged in illegal mining in Bellary district had been mentioned. The Government should place the report before the House immediately.

"The Government has its own reasons for delaying placing the report before the House. The Government has provided a false reply to the question," he alleged.

M.P. Nadagouda (JDU) raised the issue during Question Hour and asked whether it was true that illegal mining had been detected in Bellary and in Kanakapura taluk. If so, he wanted the details.

Bowing to mounting pressure from the Opposition, Primary Education Minister Basavaraj S. Horatti read out the names of some individuals/companies allegedly involved in illegal mining.

In response, the Opposition members argued that some of the details given by Mr. Horatti had shown that the Government had received the report, but it was not ready to place it before the House.

Refuting the Opposition's allegations, Minister for Forests C. Chennigappa asserted that the Government was yet to receive the report.