SC suspends mining activities by OMC in AP

New Delhi, Mar 22: The Supreme Court on Monday, Mar 22 has suspended further mining activities by Obulapuram Mining Corporation (OMC) in Andhra Pradesh.

The bench comprising of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Deepak Verma stayed the mining activities at the site until further orders and has appointed an expert committee to probe into allegations of encroachment of reserve forest areas by the mining company.

The Commitee will be headed by the Survey of India and will include members from state department of Forest, Mines and Revenue, who will review the mining areas.

The Committee has been asked to submit its report within too weeks.

Notice has also been issued by the apex court against the Reddy brothers- Karnataka Tourism and Infrastructure Development minister, G Janardhana Reddy and his brother, Revenue Minister, G Karunakara Reddy, the owners of the mining company, against the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Andhra Pradesh government challenging the Feb 26 state High Court order quashing the cancellation orders passed by the state.

Attorney General G E Vahanvati appealed that the High Court overlooked the findings of the apex court-appointed Central Empowered Committee and the high level inquiry committee of the state government.

The findings by both the committees were based on independent inquiries which showed that the Reddy brothers have encroached into large hectares of reserve forest areas in the state.

OneIndia News