Panel to submit plan on Lok Ayukta report by Sept 20

The high-level state committee constituted to prepare an action plan to implement the recommendations of the Lok Ayukta on illegal mining has commenced its probe. Headed by K Jairaj, additional chief secretary to the Karnataka government, the committee was likely to submit its report by September 20, said a top official.

“The government has mandated the committee to look at the involvement of various departments named in the Lokayukta’s report. We have also been asked to give details on the action to be taken against these officials,” Jairaj told Business Standard.

The committee, which held its second sitting here on Saturday, has decided to take the support of all related departments to prepare its action plan for taking suitable action against the bureaucrats indicted in the report. Other members include additional chief secretaries Meera Saxena, Shamim Banu and Subir Hari Singh.

Jairaj said the committee would complete its task within two months and submit a report to the government. It would go into the entire gamut of charges levelled against several government officials and the action to be initiated, based on the findings of the Lokayukta report, he said.

In its 25,000-page report on illegal mining, the Lok Ayukta had named 787 officials from various departments, including forests, mines and geology, revenue, transport and home.

Meanwhile, chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda has asked chief secretary S V Ranganath to submit a comprehensive report within 15 days, suggesting measures to curb illegal mining. The CM recently held a meeting with the mines and geology department and discussed the issue in detail, sources said.

At the meeting, Gowda expressed concerns over the loss of employment due to suspension of mining in the state. The ban has caused loss of employment to around 100,000 persons in the districts of Bellary, Chitradurga and Tumkur. In addition, the state exchequer has lost revenue of Rs 4,000 crore by way of royalty, forest development tax and value-added tax.