The Supreme Court today asked the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to respond to pleas of various mining firms seeking upward revision of the 30 million tonne annual cap on iron ore mining in Karnataka.
A bench comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi and N V Ramana also asked the apex court registry to provide copies of the report prepared by the court-appointed CEC on the mining in Karnataka to the lawyers representing the mining firms and fixed their pleas for hearing on March 31.
The Federation of Indian Mining Industries that includes various firms have sought an upward revision of the 30 million tonne annual cap on iron ore mining in the state.
Earlier, the court, while hearing a PIL of NGO 'Samaj Parivartana Samudaya', had banned all mining activities in Karnataka's Bellary and Hospet regions in July, 2011 following reports of widespread illegal mining.
Later, the court, in 2013, had allowed 63 Category-B iron ore mines in Karnataka to resume mining subject to "reclamation, rehabilitation and compensation payments".
It, however, had canceled all 51 leases in Category-C, while reiterating clearance for 18 Category-A mines.
The CEC has categorised all mines in the state in A,B, and C with maximum irregularities being in C category.
The maximum cap of 30 million tonne on the mining was imposed by the Supreme Court on Apr 18, 2013.
