Mysore,Nov 18:Ringing alarm bells in Bellary Reddy brothers mining empire,the former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S) supremo,Mr H D Deva Gowda,on Wednesday said that the issue of illegal mining on Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh borders will come up for discussion in the winter session of Parliament beginning on Wednesday.Mr Gowda,who is on a private visit to attend a wedding in Mysore,sounded convinced about the Congress-led Andhra Pradesh Government’s decision to recommend to the Centre to order full-scale CBI enquiry into the mining activities of Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by the Tourism Minister,Mr Gaali Janardhan Reddy,of ore-rich Bellary district.
Fixing the beleaguered Chief Minister,Mr B S Yeddyurappa,Mr Gowda asserted that he was eager to see what role would Karnataka Government play in the investigation process.“The State Government should cooperate with the CBI and nail the illegal mining mafia, which is a phenomenon in Bellary reserve forests spread across Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka,” he added.Mr Yeddyurappa’s political obligations should not come in the way of investigation, he said and preferred to remain silent on the JD(S) role as a Opposition party in the episode.“People, who thrived on illegal activities,should be ready to face the consequences even,” he said.Mr Gowda is properly utilizing this opportunity to hit at Mr Reddy for creating a political storm in July 2006 by leveling Rs 150-crore bribery allegations on the then chief minister,Mr H D Kumaraswamy,son of Mr Gowda.
According to official sources, there are six mining leases in Obalapuram and Siddapuram bordering Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.Of these, OMC has three separate mining leases measuring - 68.5 hectares,39.5 hectares and 25.98 hectares.For all three OMC leases, forest permits exemption was granted by the late Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy,when he was holding the fort in Andhra Pradesh.