Forest Minister C P Yogeshwar mooted nationalising all the iron ore mines across the state.
After inaugurating the Adavi Malleshwara Urban Forest at Thimmanna Nayakana Kere on the outskirts of the city on Friday, he told reporters that instead of issuing licences to private parties, it is better for the government to run mines through which it could provide direct employment to lakhs of people.
Coming down heavily on the mining companies for causing irreparable damage to the environment, he said the lost natural resources cannot be recovered. At least from now, the officials should act strictly and protect the remaining ones.
On rehabilitation and reclamation works being taken up by various mining companies, Yogeshwar said the Central Empowered Committee had identified serious lapses on the part of the mining companies in Karnataka and also suggested for some corrective steps.
This shows the grey area where the Forest Department has failed to act, he said. Admitting lapses on the part of the Forest Department, he said senior officials had failed to initiate steps to prevent illegal mining. They should work in this regard.
He also said the funds being allocated for improvement of ecology and environment in the mining-affected districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur will be diverted to raising new forest cover in the region
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