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Issues involved: Suspension of mining operations in Bellary District due to environmental damage and over-exploitation.
The Supreme Court, in response to environmental concerns, ordered the immediate suspension of mining operations in an area of approximately 10,868 hectares in Bellary District. The Court noted significant environmental damage due to over-exploitation and invoked the precautionary principle, emphasizing the importance of environmental protection as enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution. The Court referred to the case of M.C. Mehta vs. Union of India & Ors. (2009) to support its decision. The Court directed the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) to provide an interim report on the steel industry's iron ore requirements in India, the extent to which these requirements are met by the Bellary mines, and the division between domestic usage and international exports. The MoEF was instructed to gather this information from the Ministries of Mines, Steel, and Commerce, with a deadline of one week for submission. Additionally, the Secretary of the MoEF was tasked with organizing a meeting of relevant ministry secretaries to compile a comprehensive report within the specified timeframe. Furthermore, the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) was directed to conduct an Environment Impact Assessment regarding mining activities in Tumkur and Chitradurga Districts, with a deadline of three weeks for submission. The Court acknowledged the affidavits submitted by the involved parties and recorded them for consideration in the ongoing proceedings.
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