On July 30, a day after the Supreme Court completely banned mining and transportation of iron ore in Bellary district, one rake-load (3,271.5 tonnes) of the material crossed the State's borders and reached Sanvordem railway station in Goa.
This happened even as the Bellary district administration enforced the court order and seized two railway rake-loads (7439.4 tonnes) of iron ore on July 31 at Hagari and Toranagal in Bellary district.
Sources in South Western Railway told The Hindu that though the court order was immediately communicated to all officials concerned by 4 p.m. on July 29, loading took place at Yeshwanthnagar railway station in Bellary district on July 30.
Three railway rakes were loaded with iron ore, two by Fomento Karnataka Mining Company and one by Green Stone Minerals, at the Yeshwanthnagar station. Among these, the rakes loaded by Fomento, consigned to Janaki Corporation Ltd., Hagari, and JSW Steel, Toranagal, were seized.
However, the third rake loaded by Green Stone Minerals, carrying 3,271.5 tonnes of ore, slipped away without being intercepted and reached Sanvordem in south Goa. The ore was consigned to Sesa Goa Ltd.
The loading order (4138) was issued by the Senior Divisional Operations Manager of SWR's Hubli Division after collecting freight charges of Rs. 21,63,720.
The rake was placed for loading at 4.30 a.m. on July 30 and loading was completed by 2.50 p.m. the same day, sources said. The rake left Yeshwanthnagar at 5.20 p.m. The indent meant for Sesa Goa was placed at 6 a.m. on July 29.
While seizing the iron ore, Bellary Deputy Commissioner Amlan Aditya Biswas had rejected the claim of Janaki Corporation that loading was completed on July 29 itself. He had said he would go by the documents, which indicated that the loading was done on July 30.
“Transportation of ore, even with a valid permit, is illegal in the wake of the Supreme Court order, which came into effect on the evening of July 29,” he said.
Published - August 21, 2011 01:36 am IST
