Steps underway to recover losses from Janardhana Reddy

Ballari: Independent efforts are in progress to file a petition with the govt, seeking to initiate another legal stage for recovering state losses incurred due to unlawful mining operations by Janardhana Reddy and Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC).After a 13-year court process, a special CBI court in Hyderabad on May 7 imposed seven-year prison sentences on Gangavathi MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy and three others for illegal mining. Tapal brothers and some organisations are preparing separate legal proceedings, with additional environmental activists expected to support the initiative.The recent CBI court ruling establishes that OMC, while operating in 68.5 hectares at Antharagangamma Konda, Malapanagudi village, Rayadurg taluk, Anantapur district, damaged the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh boundary. Records indicate 28.9 lakh tonnes of iron ore were unlawfully extracted and transported through the Ballari reserve forest.The Karnataka area possessed premium-grade ore, which Janardhana Reddy extracted and transported illegally. Based on a conservative estimate of Rs 3,000 per tonne, the value of 28.9 lakh tonnes of ore is at least Rs 867 crore."Janardhana Reddy was found guilty, and the sentence was delivered. The verdict serves as our foundation. Reddy acquired assets both within the state and internationally through unlawful mining activities. All of this should be classified as ‘proceeds of crime' and must be seized. The govt ought to have acted on this matter, yet no action has been taken," said Srishail Aladahalli, an environmental activist from Sandur.Tapal Ekambaram, a mining entrepreneur fighting a legal case against Janardhana Reddy, has shared a comparable viewpoint, remarking, "The court has taken into account that Reddy pilfered and transported the wealth of the state. The govt ought to reclaim compensation for the state's wealth that was plundered by Reddy. We plan to write to the chief secretary of the govt to demand our share of the ore that was taken from our mine. Our struggle in this matter will carry on."The Mines and Minerals (Development and Control) Act, Section 21(5), permits recovery of value, rent, royalty or tax from individuals who extract and dispose of minerals without legal authority from any land during their period of encroachment.