Dharwad-based non-government organisation, Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS), which is the main petitioner in the public interest litigation (writ petition No. 562 of 2009) on illegal mining in Karnataka at the Supreme Court, has alleged that D K Shivakumar, former Karnataka minister, was involved in illegal mining activity.

The NGO is filing an interlocutory application in the Supreme Court on serious illegalities, irregularities and criminalities indulged in during the period 2000-2005 by Shivakumar and eight iron ore trading companies.

SHILLONG: In a major embarrassment for Rymbai legislator Nehlang Lyngdoh (Congress) the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) have accused him of not adhering to safety norms at a coal mine owned by him located on the Ladrymbai-Rymbai road in Jaintia Hills.

The lack of safety measures in Lyngdoh’s coal mine came to light during a visit by the NCPCR team to the coal mine on Friday. As per the letter written to the Deputy Commissioner of Jaintia Hills, the Deputy Labour Commissioner and Divisional Mining officer who accompanied the team, said, “It was noticed that there are no safety measures, labour welfare amenities etc., which may endanger the lives of labourers working in the said mine.”

New Delhi The government is set to consider a proposal for a complete ban on private-public joint ventures (JVs) for developing mineral blocks allocated to state-run corporations and public sector undertakings under a special dispensation. The move would hit the plans of Adani Mining, Moser Baer, Vedanta, Monnet Ispat and the Jaypee Group, among others, in the minerals and metals business.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has voiced his opposition to some provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Bill-2011, stating that the bill if enacted in the current form would be a departure from federal structure of the constitution.

Pointing out that regulation of mines and mineral development is basically a state subject, Patnaik said that the MMDR Bill attempts to transfer certain powers and functions being exercised by states to the Centre.

State-owned trading giant MMTC has inked pacts with Japanese and South Korean steel companies including Posco, to supply 2.8 million tonnes of iron ore annually for a period of three years.

"We have signed iron ore supply contracts with five Japanese firms and one South Korean company for a period of three years. The exports are expected to start from July this year,"

The coal ministry has said captive coal blocks could not be allocated to private companies at the market price of reserves. This is despite the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) recently blaming the government for extending “undue gains” worth a whopping Rs 10.6 lakh crore to companies by not allocating the blocks at market prices.

The company has so far got 500 acres while the govt claims to have acquired 2,000 acres
South Korean steel major Posco and Odisha government have agreed to set up an 8 million tonne per annum (mtpa) steel plant near Paradeep in Odisha in two phases, downsizing it from the earlier plan of 12 mtpa. The company is also willing to settle for less land – 2,700 acres instead of 4,004 acres – to set up its plant.

ALWAR: Illegal mining on Aravali hills has not only raised environmental concerns, but also resulted in huge loss of human lives in the state. As per the records made public in the state assembly recently, 40 people have lost their lives due to illegal mining in Mewat's Alwar region over a three years' period.

The police's apathetic attitude towards these deaths has also added to the sorrow of victims' family members. Several cases have come to the fore in which police did not register cases against illegal miners despite repeated requests by the victims' family members. This makes it hard to prove whether these people, mostly labourers, died in mining work.

ALWAR: The death of labourers in the illegal mines of Alwar's Arawali range and Rajsamand district on Thursday brought to the fore lies put up by the state government even before the Supreme Court. In some affidavits submitted to courts over the past two years, the state government claimed to have adopted harsh measures on illegal mining, making it impossible for the mafias to operate with impunity.