Karnataka Forest Min. halts Iron Ore Mining Lease in Devadari Hills
Bengaluru: In a significant jolt to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 100-day agenda to start mining iron ore in Devadari Hills of Sandur in Ballari, Karnataka’s Minister for Forests and Environment, Eshwar Khandre, on Saturday ordered a halt to the leasing of 401.5761 hectares for iron ore mining in the Devadari Hills.
This comes days after the Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy had directed officials of Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) to commence mining activities in the Devadari forest area.
Minister Khandre highlighted that KIOCL has previously failed to comply with the Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC) directives appointed by the Supreme Court regarding its mining activities in Kudremukh National Park, located in Mudigere taluk of Chikmagalur district. The company's inability to implement remedial measures for its past operations prompted the decision to halt new leases in the Devadari Hills.
ALSO READ: JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna arrested for alleged sexual abuse of party worker
Environmentalists have raised concerns about the potential ecological impact of mining in the Sandur forests, fearing it could lead to the felling of approximately 99,000 trees. They argue that the mining activities would devastate local wildlife and communities, urging the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to suspend clearance for the Devadari mining project.
In response to these environmental concerns, Union Minister Kumaraswamy assured that there would be no deforestation. He noted that the state government had approved mining on over 404 hectares for the Devadari project in 2019, with subsequent approval from the Central Environment Department. Kumaraswamy emphasized that KIOCL would undertake compensatory afforestation, planting an alternative forest over 808 hectares at a cost of Rs 194 crore before beginning iron ore extraction. He stressed that the Devadari project aims to boost steel production and create jobs.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
4 children test HIV positive in MP govt hospital; contaminated blood transfusion suspected
Satna/Bhopal (PTI): Four children suffering from thalassemia have tested HIV positive at Satna District Hospital in Madhya Pradesh allegedly due to contaminated blood transfusions, officials said on Tuesday.
The case is four months old and an investigation is underway into it, an official said.
Officials suspect the use of contaminated needles or blood transfusions for the spread of infection to the children.
ALSO READ: 3 Indian students among those injured in Australia’s Bondi Beach attack
MP Health Minister Rajendra Shukla told reporters in Bhopal that he has ordered a probe into the matter and sought a report.
“It is also being investigated whether the blood transfusion took place in other hospitals also or only in the government hospital,” he said.
The affected children, aged between 12 and 15 years, received blood transfusions from the hospital's blood bank, as per an official.
Devendra Patel, in-charge of the blood bank at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel District Hospital in Satna, said four children have tested HIV positive and an investigation is underway to determine how they got infected.
"Either an infected needle was used or a blood transfusion occurred. These are the two main reasons I believe. Blood transfusion seems to be the most likely cause," he told PTI Videos.
All these children suffer from thalassemia, and some have received 80 or 100 blood transfusions, he said.
A family member of one of the affected children said that their child was found to be HIV positive during a routine checkup about four months back, and he has been receiving medication, but it had proven to be of no use.
After taking the medication for HIV, the child starts vomiting, feels low and becomes ill, he said.
After the four children were detected with HIV infection, their family members were also tested and the results came out negative, he added.
The Opposition Congress targeted the government over the matter and demanded the resignation of Health Minister Shukla.
Speaking to reporters in Bhopal, Congress MLA and former minister Sachin Yadav claimed such incidents were continuously occurring in Madhya Pradesh.
Earlier, a case of toxic cough syrup came to light in Chhindwara, followed by incidents of rat bites at hospitals in Indore and Satna, and now children have been given HIV-infected blood, he said.
"The health minister is unable to manage the department. He should resign. A murder case should be filed against those responsible for the Satna incident," Yadav said.
Senior Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma termed it a failure of the government. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's government has no connection with ground realities, he charged.
"Somewhere rats are roaming in hospitals, somewhere children are being given HIV-infected blood. Instead of preventing HIV, you are spreading it. Mohan Yadav should wake up from his slumber. Children are the nation's heritage and should be taken care of," he added.
