Residents of Sandur have raised objections to NMDC’s (National Mineral Development Corporation) proposal to fell 828 trees in Donimalai, Sandur taluk, for constructing a housing complex for its employees. Led by the NGO Jan Sangram Parishat (JSP), comprising environmentalists and concerned citizens, a petition was recently submitted to the chairman of the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), urging the authority to withhold environmental clearance.
Following the proposal, JSP leaders TM Shivakumar, Srishail Aldhalli, and others wrote to the SEIAA chairman, citing previous grievances faced by Sandur residents due to NMDC. Their letter stated that the 1,630 houses currently occupied by employees were built without approval from the Narsingapur gram panchayat and that the company has not paid taxes to the panchayat since 1970. The JSP further alleged that NMDC demolished 332 houses in 2024 without obtaining permission from either the Narsingapur GP or the relevant authorities.
Activists also claimed that a building in the township was constructed without a permit from the Vijayanagara Urban Development Authority (VUDA) and that some approved layouts were not compliant with VUDA regulations. Additionally, facilities such as the community/welfare hall, meant for public use, are being restricted to company staff, violating VUDA conditions.
The petition highlighted that NMDC’s plan to cut trees for new housing near a protected forest poses a threat to wildlife and the environment. JSP demanded that NMDC submit copies of licenses obtained from VUDA or Narsingapur GP for the 1,630 houses and provide details of taxes paid to local authorities. Until these documents are produced, the JSP urged SEIAA not to grant environmental clearance for the new housing project.