Karnataka - Bellary

Raids on ‘patta’ land in Bellary district

BELLARY: Following instructions from G. Janardhan Reddy, Minister for Tourism and Infrastructure Development, the district administration has launched a crackdown on illegal mining on “patta” land and also on transportation of iron ore without valid permit.

Officials of various departments began raids on patta lands in Sandur and Hospet taluks and surrounding areas on Saturday and seized lorries transporting iron ore without valid documents.

B. Shivappa, Deputy Commissioner, Seemant Kumar Singh, Superintendent of Police, and the Deputy Conservator of Forests, personally supervised the raids conducted on Sunday in the villages in Sandur taluk.

Mr. Shivappa told The Hindu that the stocks of ore removed from the patta lands had been seized. “We have set up 10 checkposts at various places to prevent movement of iron ore without valid permits. Till Sunday morning, as many as 107 vehicles, found to be transporting iron ore without permits, have been sized in the district.

Teams of officials conducted raids on patta lands in Hospet and Sandur taluks and seized iron ore dumped illegally in non-converted lands.”

He said that stern action would be taken against those indulging in illegal mining. He said that a decision had been taken to auction the seized iron ore.

Around two lakh tonnes of iron ore, illegally dug from patta land and stocked in the yard, was seized during the raids in Sandur and Hospet taluk. The value of the seized material was estimated to be between Rs. 20 crore and Rs. 25 crore.

Mr. Seemant Kumar Singh said the raids were conducted in eight places in Sandur taluk and two places in Hospet taluk. In Dharmapur village of Sandur taluk alone around 50,000 tonnes of ore was seized. So far, no arrests had been made, he added.

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