Supreme Court refuses to allow Reddy brothers mine in Bellary

The Reddy brothers of Karnataka suffered a jolt on Thursday when the Supreme Court (SC) halted operation of an Andhra Pradesh high court order allowing them to mine and transport iron ore from six facilities in Bellary reserved forest area.

The facilities are run by Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) owned by Karnataka minister G Janardhana Reddy and his brother.

A bench headed by chief justice KG Balakrishnan stayed mining at the six facilities leased out to OMC in Anantapur. It ordered status quo to all parties, including the Andhra government that has moved SC.

The AP government had challenged the HC directive of February 26 that struck down its order halting mining operations in the reserve forest.

The government had ordered prohibition after an apex court-appointed central empowered committee recommended on November 19, 2009, that OMC’s mining activities in the area should be stopped.

The panel probed the matter based on a writ filed by Tapal Ganesh of Bellary, accusing OMC of violating the Forest Conservation Act. Ganesh said the company had encroached on forest land.