Ananthapur Mining Corporation can continue mining ore: AP High Court

By S A Ishaqui

Hyderabad, Nov. 19: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Thursday suspended an order issued by Mr Kallol Biswas, the divisional forest officer (DFO) of Anantapur restraining the Anantapur Mining Corporation from mining iron ore at Obulapuram.

Justice L. Narasimha Reddy granted the interim order while dealing with a petition filed by Ms G. Lakshmi Aruna, wife of mining baron Mr Gali

Janardhan Reddy, challenging the divisional forest officer’s order.

The judge said that the DFO’s order issued on October 30 was not intended to force the petitioner to obtain permission for transporting the extracted iron ore.

“Instead it directed the petitioner to stop mining and this cannot be approved,” he said.

While allowing Anantapur Mining Corporation to continue mining operations, the judge directed the company to transport the extracted material only after getting permission from the forest authority

The judge agreed with the contention of senior counsel Mr S. Ramachandra Rao, who appeared for the petitioner, that matters relating to mining operations fell under the purview of the Central government, and did not rest with the forest officer. However, the court did not agree with him regarding the transit permit.

After admitting the petition, Justice Reddy asked the respondents to file their counters and posted the matter to two weeks for further hearing.

Meanwhile, Bellary Iron Ores Pvt Ltd, the arch rival of Gali Janardhana Reddy, on Thursday filed a petition in the High Court seeking a direction to the state and Central governments to stop the alleged illegal mining by the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) in the areas allotted to them.

The petitioner also sought a direction for a joint survey by various agencies to be conducted in the mining terrain of these two companies to demarcate their respective areas.