The High Court of Karnataka on Friday ordered issue of notice to the State government on a PIL petition seeking direction for the restoration of 9,500 trees which were grown on government land in Gundehalli village of Tekal in Malur taluk, Kolar district, and which were destroyed because of illegal mining activities.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi passed the order on a petition filed by Ravindra and four others from Kolar district.
The plantation of around 9,500 trees was raised through the joint effort of the gram panchayat and the Forest Department, the petitioners claimed.
It was also alleged in the petition that the government, without recovering the remaining ₹106 crore fine imposed on 19 firms for carrying out illegal mining beyond the licensed areas, was planning to renew their mining licences.
While seeking directions to the government to recover the fine amount and not to renew the mining licences, the petitioner sought the initiation of criminal proceedings against the public servants who allowed illegal mining by the private firms by allegedly colluding with them.
