SC rejects private miners' plea to lift ban on mining in Bellary

The Supreme Court today rejected the plea of private miners to lift its ban on mining in Bellary district of Karnataka saying the "profit was not important but the balancing of the right of clean environment is".

The Supreme Court on Friday rejected the plea of private miners to lift its ban on mining in Bellary district of Karnataka saying the "profit was not important but the balancing of the right of clean environment is".

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A special forest bench headed by the chief justice S H Kapadia rejected the plea of the Federation of Indian Mining Industries (FIMI) and asked them to co-operate with the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) which will prepare a report by conducting a macro-level Environment Impact Assessment.

The bench was not impressed by the submission of senior advocate Dushyant Dave that the miners and the steel industry would suffer a loss.

"Profit is not important but balancing the right of clean environment under Article 21 is," said the bench.

The bench, which today allowed National Mineral Development Corporation to allow mining in two of its mines in Bellary district, asked the private companies to get their ores extracted by the PSU.

This was opposed by FIMI saying "it would be like nationalisation of our mines. Why would they mine in our area," he said.