Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, H D Kumaraswamy, stated on Sunday that 99,000 trees will not be felled within a year if the Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) is allowed to mine in the Devadari forest area of Sandur taluk in Ballari district.
Kumaraswamy clarified that tree felling would only occur if mining continued non-stop for 50 years. Additionally, KIOCL has paid Rs 123 crore to the government for afforestation efforts.
Following the cessation of mining in Kudremukh, there was a demand to resume mining activities elsewhere. In 2016, the state government approved KIOCL’s mining operations on 440 hectares, with the necessary environmental clearances from state and central departments, he explained to reporters.