The prolonged decade-old disagreement regarding the delineation of borders for the forested Obulapuram region, renowned for its abundant iron ore deposits between Anantapur and Ballari districts, persists. The ongoing challenges have been exacerbated by the removal of border stones and legal complexities that have persisted over the years. Presently, efforts are underway to resolve the disputes and restore order.
Following a survey conducted by a central team, there have been allegations of indirect support from a prominent mining figure in Ballari and the Karnataka government, aimed at complicating the situation. In a strategic move to protect its land interests, the Karnataka government recently initiated a plan to demarcate the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border.
In 2016-17, the Obulapuram mining company, headed by former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, faced accusations of encroaching 400 meters across the state border, further intensifying concerns about the destruction of border markers. The purported motive behind this encroachment was the presence of high-quality iron ore.
After a comprehensive two-year survey, the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have taken steps to define the borders of mining areas in reserve forests to prevent encroachments. The decade-long dispute originated when mining barons destroyed survey stones and forest department borders during illicit mining activities, leading to CBI cases.
Efforts are currently underway by teams from both states to finalize and fix border stones along the contested areas, encompassing 11 mines in the reserve forests of Obulapuram in D Hirehal mandal, near Ballari in Karnataka.
Karnataka’s recent insistence on a thorough examination of the border involved the Survey of India, a central government agency. Despite an initial demarcation, doubts arose about its accuracy, prompting a complaint to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). In response, the PMO has instructed a second round of demarcation, addressing concerns raised by other mining owners about the fairness of the contour system survey.
Amidst the dispute between two mining companies, OMC (Obulapuram Mining Company) and BIOP (Bellary Iron Ore Private Ltd), regarding their limits and leased areas, revelations of illicit mining of rich ore have surfaced. In this context, OMC’s Gali Janardhan Reddy is facing potential expulsion from Anantapur and Ballari districts.
The Karnataka government has opted to engage a team of experts from the survey department of IIT Kharagpur, known for their expertise in undertaking such tasks. Mining owner Tapala Ganesh from Ballari expressed confidence in the Kharagpur team, emphasizing its alignment with the government’s commitment to ensuring precise and technically sound demarcation. The involvement of retired survey officers from the state is expected to enhance the advisory aspect of this critical process.