CHITRADURGA: Fearing the onslaught of the Supreme Court appointed Central Empowered Committee’s (CEC) visit next week, mining firms in the district are working overtime to cover up the waste dumps with grass patches.When Express did a reality check at Megalahalli and Bheemasamudra villages in the district, officials of the SESA group were busy covering huge dumps of mining waste at A Naarain mines using coir rolls. Grass patches are being removed from the Bheemeshawara tank at an alarming rate since two days.Associate manager (HSE) Vajjah Bhargav said: “We are spreading degradable coir rolls over the waste dumps and sowing grass seeds which will reduce the ore mixing in the air. Wherever fresh dust is dumped, it is very hard to grow vegetation immediately, hence we are using grass which is a new method used by the company, as it grows very fast,” he added.But according to the villagers, this has been happening since two days and grass patches are being taken in trucks to the mining area. If this continues, grazing will become a big problem, as cattle in the village are taken to the tank area for grazing due to the abundant greenery. Akhila Karnataka Parisara Samrakshana Vedike secretary B T Jagadish said mine owners are covering up dumps with grass from pastures, thereby creating more imbalance in the environment. If grass is removed indiscriminately, where will the cattle graze? he asked.The apex court had directed the CEC to conduct a survey in Chitradurga and Tumkur districts to assess the environmental impact on account of mining. Based on the report, the apex court will decide whether to continue the ban on mining in the district.Department sources have confirmed that illegal mines have seized vast amounts of ore and taken Rs 28.49 crore as revenue.
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