Rampant rock mining in Baby betta poses threat to KRS reservoir

Mandya: Unabated rock mining in Baby betta in Pandavapura taluk poses threat to KRS reservoir. The betta has 1,436 acres of Gomal land in survey number one, and 88 licenses have been granted for mining. But, according to an estimate more than 200 persons are exploiting the hill for rock mining. The entire Mandya and Mysore districts depend on this for crushed rock sand, stones, size stones, and all related requirements and more than 500 trucks transport stone products from here to different parts of the two districts.

The mines and geology department is allegedly turning a deaf ear to the illegal activity because of the local political clout enjoyed by the miners. In the wake of the report submitted following a scientific study highlighting the threat that unbridled mining activities at the hill posed a very real threat to the reservoir, the district administration is exercising the highest degree of caution in terms of regulating the activity. The report particularly cautions the government against the use of explosives for mining purposes at the hill. The report was submitted by the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC) a year ago. The report was compiled after KSNDMC closely recorded seismic activity around the hill.

After the report highlighted the threat to local environment, several organisations staged protests demanding government's intervention to put a stop to the mining activities in the region.

In January 2021, the Pandavapura tahsildar Pramod Patil raided 28 illegal mining areas and stopped it. However, the mining activity is back and is in full swing. The concern is the Baby betta exploding with mining activity is situated just 10 km from KRS reservoir.

The mines and geology department has imposed Rs 800 crore penalty on 30 miners but it's unable to stop mining. A mines and geology officer on condition of anonymity, said that the department is yet to receive more than Rs 3,000 crore as royalty and fine from miners.