Activist Tapal Ganesh has accused the Union government’s Survey of India officials, who had undertaken a survey along the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border in Ballari district to establish the States’ border destroyed by alleged illegal mining, of helping illegal miners.
Addressing a media conference here on Monday, Mr. Ganesh said that the survey officers were attempting to cover up the evidence of illegal mining in the district by altering the State border.
“The officials, who are on the mission of establishing Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh border, should rely on village maps to draw the inter-State border. But they are attempting to draw the border in such a way that it should help illegal miners who have destroyed the border. Their survey report would show the areas of Karnataka as part of Andhra Pradesh so as to protect the illegal miners who had destroyed the borders to extract iron ore in Karnataka using mining licence of Andhra Pradesh,” he said. He also made it clear that he would move the Supreme Court against the survey report.
Mr. Ganesh also criticised Kannada organisations and Congress for not raising their voice against the attempt of illegal miners and the Survey of India officials.
“Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister K.S. Eshwarappa’s son-in-law owns stakes in a company that was accused of illegal mining. The Karnataka Lokayukta had recommended cancellation of its mining licenses also. I strongly feel that the survey officers were manipulating to protect the company and its owners. Nobody, including Kannada organisations and the Congress, is talking about it. If we all remain silent, large tracts of Karnataka’s land, including Timmapana Gudda, would go to Andhra Pradesh,” Mr. Ganesh said.
