Panel formed to look into mining report

The state government has set up a three-member panel to review the Lok Ayukta report on the minimg scam. The panel has been asked to recommend action against those found guilty in the scam within a month. Disclosing this information here Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa said the panel includes additional chief secretary, principal home secretary and Industries and Commerce department secretary.

The CM who was in Belgaum district to campaign for his party candidates in Hukkeri and Arabhavi for the assembly by-elections said he would soon meet Lok Ayukta Justice Santosh Hegde and request him to investigate the mining scam during Janata dal(S)-BJP coalition government also.

“The Lok Ayukta report has indicated that officials of the Mysore Minerals Limited had sub-leased the mines by violating norms which had caused huge losses to the state exchequer. Mine owners have carried out mining without clearance from the forest department. Action would be taken against all those involved in the scam based on the panel’s report,” he asserted.

Clarifying that none of the ministers in his present cabinet were involved in the mining scam Yeddyurappa said the BJP government after coming to power had neither renewed any mining licence nor had recommended any. He said the Union finance minister had been asked to take a stand on the mining policy as the money was landing in wrong hands.