Government to initiate action against illegal mining

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today promised the Legislative Assembly the government will initiate criminal proceedings against 'B' and 'C' cat egory mines involved in illegal mining and recover fines.

A committee has been set up to collect penalty from mine owners violating norms in maintenance of pits and dumps, he said, replying to BJP floor leader and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar. The Chief Minister also assured that no one will be spared and CBI will be given full cooperation in investigating the illegal mining case.

When Shettar asked of steps taken in the six months of coming to power, Siddaramaiah said the Lokayukta had submitted its report, but the previous BJP government returned the file instead of taking action.

"We have initiated action by referring (the matter of) missing iron ore from Bellikeri port to CBI for investigation and referred to Lokayukta to investigate the companies and officials involved as per SC order," he said.

Yeddyurappa adament
Former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa staged a night-long dharna in the Karnataka Assembly and continued it today persisting with his demand that the government extend to all communities its scheme to provide Rs 50,OOO marriage assistance as given to poor Muslim girls.

"I will continue to sit on dharna in the well of the House unless the Siddaramaiah Government extends Shaadi Bhagya Yojana to all communities," Yeddyurappa, who is the Karnataka Janatha Paksha supremo, told reporters here before the house assembled.

As the house met today, Yeddyurappa continued his dharna, even as the proceedings went on. Yeddyurappa had staged a 26-day-old dharna in Bangalore and shifted his protest to Belgaum, where the Legislature session is now being held. He refused to come out even after the House was adjourned last evening.

Yeddyurappa said neither Siddaramaiah nor his cabinet colleagues met him to find a solution to the issue. However, on the first day of Assembly session yesterday, Siddaramaiah had assured that the demand to extend the scheme will be looked into by the government.

He had appealed to Yeddyurappa to drop the dharna as it was against the decorum of the House. Yeddyurappa said he was neither opposing "Shaadi Bhagya Yojana" nor was he against the minorities, but wanted extension of the scheme to all the communities.