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NON-REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION

I.A. NO…………/2012

IN

W.P. (CIVIL) NO.562 OF 2009

SAMAJ PARIVARTANA  SAMUDAYA & ORS. … PETITIONERS

Versus

STATE OF KARNATAKA & ORS. … RESPONDENTS

[REGARDING:  CEC  REPORT  DATED  27.04.2012  AND  CEC  REGARDING R & R SCHEME]

WITH

I.A. NOS.68 OF 2012 AND 103 OF 2012 IN W.P. (CIVIL) NO.562  OF 2009

AND

[REPORT  DATED  29TH AUGUST,  2012  OF  THE  CEC  REGARDING  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  THE  R&R  PLANS,  RESUMPTION OF MINING OPERATIONS IN “CATEGORY- A” MINING LEASES AND ASSOCIATED ISSUES]

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O R D E R

Aftab Alam,J.

1. The  Central  Empowered  Committee  has  submitted  a  report  

dated August 29, 2012 regarding implementation of the R & R Plans,  

resumption of mining operations in “Category A” mining leases and  

issues incidental thereto.  

2. Heard  Mr.  Shyam  Divan,  the  learned  Amicus  Curiae,  

Mr. Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the applicant in I.A. No.68 of  

2012,  Mr.  Krishnan  Venugopal  appearing  for  M/s.  R.  Parveen  

Chandra,  Mr.  C.U. Singh, learned senior  counsel  appearing for  the  

Association of Indian Mini Blast Furnaces and other learned counsel.  

3. The recommendations made in the aforesaid report of the CEC  

dated August 29, 2012 are accepted subject to any modification that  

the Court may feel necessary to make later on.  

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4.  At Annexure R-1 to the report, there is a list of 16  “Category  

A” mining leases in Bellary district and two  in Chitradurga district in  

respect of which the R & R Plans have been approved. One of the 18  

“Category A” mines, namely, MEL (ML-2346) (103.81 ha) has all the  

statutory sanctions, permissions and approvals in place and the rest of  

the 17 mining leases, according to the CEC, are also likely to get all  

the  statutory  sanctions,  permissions  and  approvals  within  a  few  

months as indicated in the table at pages 15 and 16 of the report.  It is  

also stated in  the report  that  the R & R Plan in  respect  of  the 18  

“Category A” mines has been duly approved and its implementation  

on the ground has also commenced.  

5. In light of the recommendation of the CEC, the ban imposed on  

mining  operations  in  all  the  mining  leases  (excepting  two  mining  

leases of  M/s. NMDC Ltd.) in the districts of Bellary, Tumkur and  

Chitradurga by orders dated July 29 and August 26, 2011 is lifted in  

respect of the 18 “Category A” mines as enumerated in Annexure R-1  

to  the  report.   Mining  operations  in  those  18  “Category  A”  may  

commence  to  the  extent  of  the  permissible  annual  production  as  

determined by the CEC and as indicated in the table at page Nos.15  

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and 16 of the report.  The commencement of the mining operations  

shall be subject to:

(I) compliance with all the statutory requirements;  

(II) the full satisfaction of the Monitoring Committee, expressed in  

writing,  that  steps  for  implementation  of  the  R  &  R  Plan  in  the  

leasehold area are proceeding effectively and meaningfully, and  

(III) a written undertaking by the leaseholders that they would fully  

abide by the Supplementary Environment Management Plan (SEMP)  

as  applicable  to  the  leasehold  area  and  shall  also  abide  by  the  

Comprehensive  Environment  Plan  for  Mining  Impact  Zone  

(CEPMIZ)  that  may  be  formulated  later  on  and  comply  with  any  

liabilities, financial or otherwise, that may arise against them under  

the CEPMIZ.  

(IV) The CEC shall, upon inspection, submit a report to this Court  

that any or all the stated 18 “Category A” mine owners have fully  

satisfied the above-mentioned conditions.  Further, it shall be reported  

that the mining activity is being carried on strictly within the specified  

parameters and without any violation.  

Such  report  should  be  filed  within  one  month  of  leave  to  

commence mining activity by the concerned leaseholder.  

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6. It  is  made  clear  that  no  mining  operation  under  any  of  the  

mining  leases  shall  take  place  unless  all  the  statutory  sanctions,  

permissions  and  approvals  are  subsisting.   In  case,  after  the  

resumption of mining operations in terms of this order any statutory  

sanction, permission or approval is lapsed or is not renewed in time,  

the  mining  operations  would  remain  stopped  until  the  required  

statutory sanction, permission or approval is duly granted.  

7. Similarly,  in  case  the  Monitoring  Committee  finds  any  

slackness in the implementation of the R & R Plan in leasehold area  

under  a  mining lease,  the  Monitoring Committee  shall  apprise  the  

CEC  in  that  regard  and  it  would  be  open  to  the  CEC  to  direct  

suspension of the mining operations under the concerned mining lease  

and to report the matter to this Court.  

8. Among the 18 “Category A” mines, there are six mining leases  

to  which the  general  directions  given above shall  apply subject  to  

further conditions as indicated below.  

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8(i). In the case of mining lease, namely, RBSSN (ML-2576) (31.56  

ha), mining operations are stopped in terms of the orders passed by  

this Court in Jambunathanahalli Temple Case.  Further, in the case of  

this mining lease, if the CEC wishes to re-examine whether it falls in  

“Category A” or any other category, the directions given above in this  

order  shall  apply  in  the  case  of  this  mining  lease  subject  to  its  

retaining its position in “Category A” and further subject to any orders  

passed by this Court in Jambunathanahalli Temple Case.

8(ii). In  the  case  of  three  other  mining  leases,  namely,  Kariganur  

Minerals (ML-2075/1799) (199.43 ha), RBSSN (ML-2524) (76.09),  

RBSSN Beneficiation Plant, mining operations are stopped in terms of  

an  order  passed  by  this  Court  in  Jambunathanahalli  Temple  Case.  

Therefore,  the  above  directions  shall  apply  to  these  three  mining  

leases  subject  to  the  further  orders  passed  by  this  Court  in  

Jambunathanahalli Temple Case.   

8(iii). In mining lease, namely, RMML (Dalmia) (ML-2010) (331.ha),  

an  order  to  maintain  status  quo  has  been  passed  by this  Court  in  

SLP(C) No.32226/2009.  Therefore, the above directions shall apply  

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to this mining lease subject to any further order passed by this Court  

in SLP(C) No.32226/2009.

8(iv). In  mining lease,  namely,  MML-Timmappanagudi  (ML-2605)  

(136.97 ha), the general directions given above, shall apply subject to  

the leaseholder abiding by the conditions stipulated in the CEC report,  

as indicated in the table at page 40 of the report.  

9. Among the 18 “Category  A” mining leases  M/s.  R.  Parveen  

Chandra  (ML No.2294)  is  cited  as  an  accused  in  a  criminal  case  

registered as PCR No.4/2011, re-numbered as Special CC 171/2011.  

Needless  to  say  that  the  investigation  of  the  case  shall  proceed in  

accordance  with  law and the  permission  for  resumption of  mining  

operations shall have no effect on the pending investigation.   

9(i). It is made clear that the permission for resumption of mining  

operations shall not come in the way, in any manner whatsoever, in  

any investigation, inquiry or proceedings that may be pending against  

any of  the 18 mining leases  covered by this  order  or  that  may be  

instituted  against  any  one  of  them  in  future.   The  report  of  

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investigation, inquiry or proceeding in respect of any of the 18 leases  

should also be submitted before this Court.  

10. The  interlocutory  applications  relating  to  the  opening  up  of  

“Category A” mines are disposed of.  

11. Put up the report of the Central Empowered Committee dated  

February  3,  2012  at  an  early  date  to  expedite  framing  of  the  

Comprehensive  Environment  Plan  for  Mining  Impact  Zone  and  

matters related thereto.  

………..….………………….J. (Aftab Alam)

.……………………………..J. (K.S. Radhakrishnan)

………………………………J. (Swatanter Kumar)

New Delhi; September 3, 2012.  

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