Infrastructure includes laying of conveyor belt system, railway sidings and sub-lines in mineral-rich areas.
Infrastructure includes laying of conveyor belt system, railway sidings and sub-lines in mineral-rich areas.
The Supreme Court has directed the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to hold a meeting with Karnataka, leaseholders and others to decide who should bear the cost of infrastructure developments.
Infrastructure includes laying of conveyor belt system, railway sidings and sub-lines in mineral-rich areas.
“We are of the view that a meeting should be convened by the CEC in which all the stakeholders should be present. All issues, including who has to bear the cost, keeping in mind the long-term benefits that would come to the lessees and, perhaps, in the distant future to others, should be debated, discussed and attempted to be resolved in an amicable manner,” a three-judge bench presided over by Justice Ranjan Gogoi said.
The court directed the CEC to invite seven lessees, the representatives of lobby group FIMI (Southern Region), officials from Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES), among others, to resolve the matter.
The CEC was told to submit a report within six weeks.
The court passed the order after taking note of a submission made by M K Jiwrajka, former member secretary, CEC, who suggested that the cost should be borne by the lessees themselves. He said nine mines, two by public sector NMDC, produced about 80% of the iron ore in the districts of Ballari and Chitradurga, and the primary concentration of the court should be to control pollution and ensure a safe environment.
The state government has proposed Tumakuru to Davanagere railway lines, sub-lines and roads in Chitradurga and Tumakuru from Rs 20,000-crore fund collected under a Comprehensive Environmental Plan for the Mining Impact Zone (CEPMIZ).