The Karnataka government has come under severe scrutiny for allegedly violating Supreme Court directives and flouting mining regulations, according to a damning report from the Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
What the Investigation Revealed
The state government attracted the CEC's ire after it prepared five mining blocks located in Ballari district for auction by stitching together 'C' category mines (illegal), legal mines and forest areas to make them appealing to big companies.
The committee found that the government had creatively packaged these mining parcels by combining different types of land classifications, potentially undermining the Supreme Court's clear directives on mining operations in the region.
The Ballari District Mining Controversy
The five contested blocks are all situated in Ballari district, a region historically known for mining activities and previous legal battles over resource extraction.
According to the CEC report, the government's approach of mixing illegal mining areas with legitimate mining zones and forest lands appears designed to create more attractive investment opportunities for large corporations seeking mining rights.
This bundling strategy effectively masked the problematic nature of some included areas while potentially violating environmental protections and court-mandated restrictions.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
The CEC's findings suggest the Karnataka government may have deliberately circumvented Supreme Court orders that were specifically designed to regulate mining activities and prevent environmental degradation in sensitive regions.
The report, dated 23 November 2025, raises serious questions about compliance with judicial directives and could potentially lead to legal consequences for the state administration.
This development marks another chapter in the long-standing controversy surrounding mining operations in Karnataka, particularly in the mineral-rich Ballari region, which has witnessed numerous legal battles and environmental concerns over the years.
