Taking exception to the way the survey work was going on to demarcate the Karnataka – Andhra Pradesh border in Ballari district, Tapal Ganesh, a mine owner and activist, alleged that the officials of the Survey of India, which had taken up the job as per Supreme Court direction, were working under the pressure of political heavyweights.
At a media conference in Ballari on Monday, Mr. Ganesh said that the Central surveying agency was being influenced to conduct the survey in a way that its report protects miners who had destroyed the interstate border for their illegal mining. Mr. Ganesh’s main contention was that the Survey of India was relying on the Ballari Reserve Forest map of 1896, which, he argued, was not a primary map as mentioned by the earlier Surveyor General of India. He argued the agency should rely on the 1887 traverse data measurements and readings for the missing boundaries of the cluster village. “If the survey is based on Ballari Reserve Forest map of 1896, certain areas such as Timmappana Gudda that had been part of Karnataka would go to Andhra Pradesh. If the survey is done based on the revenue map as per 1887 traverse data measurements and readings, these areas would remain in Karnataka and the encroachment of it by the illegal miners would come out. In an effort to protect the illegal miners, the Survey of India is forced to rely on Ballari Reserve Forest map of 1896,” he said.
Mr. Ganesh said that after he had submitted his objections to the Prime Minister, and the Chief Ministers and Chief Secretaries of the two State governments, the Deputy Commissioner of Ballari wrote to Survey of India and sought an answer to the objections raised. “The lack of political will to act against those culprits who had carried out illegal mining and the massive influence and power of the illegal miners are derailing the survey process. As long as the political leadership and the people in power continue to work hand in hand with the illegal miners, the problem will persist,” he said.