The NGO Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS) has called on the central and state governments to honor the Supreme Court’s ruling in a PIL filed by SPS, which mandates the immediate cancellation of two new mining leases.
These leases were granted to Kuduremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd (KIOCL) for 450 hectares, involving the felling of over 99,000 trees in the Swamimalai block of the Kumaraswamy Range (Deodar village), and to M/s SAIL/VISL for 60.7 hectares, resulting in the felling of over 29,000 trees in the Ramalai block of the Ramanadurga range in Sandur, Ballari district.
SPS has also demanded the replacement of IAS officer Shalini Rajaneesh, KMERC chairperson, to improve the corporation’s efficiency. On Tuesday, SPS founder SR Hiremath stated that they have filed a PIL in the Supreme Court against leasing forest areas for mining. On March 14, the court ordered the cancellation of these leases. Hiremath urged the DCs of Ballari, Vijayanagara, Chitradurga, and Tumkuru districts to promptly initiate essential projects for the human development of people affected by mining.
