Karnataka: SC lifts curbs on export of excavated iron ore 

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday allowed mining corporations to export their excavated iron ore from mines within the districts of Bellary, Chitradurga, and Tumkur in Karnataka.

“Keeping in thoughts all of the aforesaid components, we’re inclined to favourably think about the prayer made by the candidates and grant them permission to promote the already excavated iron ore stock-pile at varied mines and inventory yards positioned within the districts of Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga within the State of Karnataka, with out having to resort to the method of e-auction,” the highest court docket stated.

“Permission is granted to the candidates to enter into direct contracts to carry the excavated iron ore by means of inter-state gross sales. We additionally grant permission to the candidates to export the iron ore and pellets manufactured from the iron ore produced from the mines located within the State of Karnataka, to international locations overseas, as is being accomplished in the remainder of the nation, however strictly by way of the extant coverage of the Government of India,” it added.

The court docket stated that it will be expedient to acquire an opinion from the Oversight Authority appointed by the highest court docket on  April 21, 2022 in regards to the difficulty referring to the lifting of the ceiling restrict for manufacturing of iron ore for mining leases within the three districts of the state.

“We request the Oversight Authority to take inputs from the stakeholders, including the CEC and the Monitoring Committee, and to send his opinion to this Court preferably within a period of 4 weeks.” 

The high court docket stated that it’s in broad settlement with the stand taken by the Ministry of Steel and Ministry of Mines that it’s essential to create a degree taking part in subject for the mines located within the districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur with others located in the remainder of the nation. 

“As the Centrally empowered committee (CEC) has indicated, the demand/provide and worth of iron ore are greatest left to be decided by the market forces, this Court is of the opinion that the time has come to overview the system that was put in place over a decade in the past, on halting the unchecked excavation of iron ore within the three prime districts within the State of Karnataka,” the order famous. 

The Ministry of Steel had supported the lifting of the ban on excavated iron ore within the state, and had submitted that the mining situation has improved significantly because the 12 months 2018, and in opposition to that background, had requested the highest court docket to contemplate treating the mines located in Karnataka equal to these located in the remainder of the nation since that may allow inter-state commerce of iron ore mined within the State of Karnataka, which is presently prohibited. 

The Ministry of Mines had additionally given its no objection to export of iron ore to different international locations by way of the prevalent coverage of the Government of India.

The subsequent date of listening to is in July.

The apex court docket had in 2013 banned the export of iron ore from Karnataka to verify environmental injury within the state and stuck the utmost permissible annual manufacturing restrict at 35 MMT for the A and B class mines.