Bellary Reddys’ mining interests in Karnataka

The Bellary Reddys have been defiant in the face of allegations of illegal iron ore mining. After meeting their ‘thayi’ and BJP’s top leadership in the national capital, G Janardhan Reddy declared in Bangalore that they were pure as gold.

C V Nagesh, the lawyer representing the Reddys, has suggested that no mining lease has been issued in their name in Karnataka and there was no question of illegal mining or looting Karnataka’s state wealth as they don’t have any mining activity in the state.

While their lawyer defended the Reddy brothers, Canary Trap brings you exclusive details of how the Bellary Reddys not only have mining interests in the state but also how they control most of the mines through rising contractors, partners and other arrangements.

According to a report of the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) appointed by the Supreme Court of India, there are 90 mining companies in Bellary district of Karnataka, of which 82 are iron ore mines. The names of mining companies having Karnataka license that are situated adjacent to the Andhra Pradesh border are: BMC, Black Gold Mines, Y Mahaballeshwarappa Mines, NMDC, MML, Lakshmi Narayana Mines, HMM, Tumati Mines, Vibuthi Gudda Mines and , MBT Mines.

Out of these, BMC, Black Gold Mines, Y Mahaballeshwarappa Mines, Lakshmi Narayana Mines, HMM, MBT Mines are being run by Obalapuram Mines through rising contractors of their choice.

The CEC report states that OMC is undertaking mining activity in Karnataka through rising contractors in the following mines:

1. M/S Vinag Mines, Bellary (Mines situated in Hospet Taluka)

2. M/S Bellary Mining Corporation, Bellary Taluka

3. M/S Hind Traders, Bellary (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

4. M/S Mehaboob Transport Company, Bellary (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

5. M/S Associated Mining Company, Bellary (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

6. M/S H R Gaviappa & Company, Bellary (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

7. M/S Trident Minerals, Hospet (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

8. M/S Veem Private Ltd, Hospet (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

9. M/S N Shaik Sab, Hospet (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

The report further states that OMC is undertaking mining in the following mines in partnership:

1. M/S SB Minerals, Hospect (Mines situation in Hospet Taluka)

2. M/S Srinidhi Mines, Vysanakere (Mines situation in Hospet Taluka)

3. M/S Abubaker P (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

4. M/S H G Ranganagowda, Hospet (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

5. M/S Kanaiah Lal Duderia, Sandur (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

6. M/S M Srinivasulu, Bellary (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

7. M/S SB Minerals, Ramghad, Hospet (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

8. M/S SB Minerals, Jaisinghpur, Hospet (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

9. M/S Lad & Sons, Sandur (Mines situation in Sandur Taluka)

Despite no clearance being granted by Forest department, OMC is undertaking mining activity by appointing rising contractors in the following mines:

1. M/S Vinag Mines, Bellary Ingalagi, Hospet Range

2. M/S Krishnamachari, Bellary, Navalathi, Sandur Range

3. M/S Manjoor Ahmed, Hospet, Jaisinghpur, Sandur Range

4. M/S Trident Mining Ltd, Hospet, Venkatagiri, Sandur Range

The OMC is undertaking mining through partnership though no clearance is being granted by the Forest department.

1. M/S Ratnaiah Mines, Bellary, Bellary Range

2. M/S H P Manjunath, Bangalore, Hospet Range

3. M/S Mysore Minerals Ltd, Bangalore, Sandur Range

4. M/S Narayana Minerals Pvt Ltd, Hospet, Sandur Range

The report also discloses the names of mining companies that are undertaking mining activity with the blessing of OMC by paying them some percentage of their income. They are:

1. M/S Kariganoor Mining Industry, Hospet (Mines situated in Hospet Taluka)

2. M/S Smt R Mallamma, RP Mines, Hospet (Mines situated in Hospet Taluka)

3. M/S Auro Minerals, Hospect (Mines situated in Hospet Taluka)

4. M/S Ashwath Narayan Singh & Company, Sandur (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

5. M/S Bharath Mines and Minerals, Hospet (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

6. M/S H G Ranganagowda, Hospet (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

7. M/S Hothur Traders, Bellary (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

8. M/S KM Parvathamma, Bellary (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

9. M/S Lakshminarayana Mining Company, Bangalore (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

10. M/S Mysore Minerals Ltd, Bangalore (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

11. M/S S A Thawab, Bellary (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

12. M/S Zeenath Transport Company, Bellary (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

13. M/S Zeenath Transport Company, Bellary (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

14. M/S Zeenath Transport Company, Bellary (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka)

15. M/S H T Minerals, Bellary (Mines situated in Sandur Taluka). They have not yet received Forest department permission.

According to the CEC report, people belonging to the OMC (Dushyanth Reddy and Ravikalyan Reddy — both relatives of G Janardhan Reddy, Kampli MLA Suresh and his associates, Kudligi MLA Nagendra and his associates) are running all these above listed mines as rising contractors.

The report also states that even those mines which are running without the influence of OMC donate funds as and when it is asked by the latter. This shows the extent to which the Bellary Reddys have exploited the natural resources of Karnataka and are still untouched.

Karnataka CM B S Yeddyurappa defended them by saying there is no proof against the Reddy brothers. Perhaps he should stop defending the guilty and take action against those who are responsible for illegal mining of iron ore in the state.