Western Ghats News

State may allow granite quarrying in forests
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2002 10:49:50 PM ]
BANGALORE: In order to improve Karnataka's sluggish granite exports, the state cabinet is expected to approve a proposal to lease out 2,000 acres of forest land for granite quarrying.

Sources told The Times of India that the 2,000 acres of forest land would be identified in dry areas like Bellary, Hospet, Chitradurga, Gadag and Kolar districts. Karnataka's share of granite export has fallen drastically over the last few years with states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh emerging as granite hotspots.

The government's argument is that leasing out dry, forest areas would not harm environment or ecology. As against the previous decisions to lease out 4,000-5,000 hectares of Donimalai forest and 4,000 hectares of Western Ghats for mining which "destroy nature", this would improve granite exports.

The forest land would be leased out under the Karnataka Mines and Minerals Concession Rules of 1994. "As many as 54 taluks have been identified where forest land can be leased out for granite quarrying. These taluks are mostly in arid regions where the forests are thin. In places like Kolar where forest is thin, niligiri trees are grown. The forests of Bellary, Hospet have bald hills and are not rich in ecology," sources explained.

The mines and geology department will soon submit the proposal to the forest department for "concurrence". The forest department has agreed in principle to the proposal.

The government's contention is that allowing granite quarrying would also encourage cash inflow and provide employment opportunities to people of these areas, which are traditionally backward region.

When contacted, Mines and Geology Minister V. Muniyappa said all states, barring Karnataka, allowed granite quarrying in forests which are not ecologically rich. The Centre is also asking the state government to relax rules to allow granite quarrying in dry forest areas.

"If the government does not relax rules, we will only be encouraging illegal quarrying in forests. However, unless the concurrence of the forest and other departments is obtained, we will not issue no-objection certificates to permit quarrying," he said.

After the proposal is placed before the cabinet for approval, a committee comprising principal secretaries of finance, forest and legal departments would study it and make its recommendation, he added.