Karnataka okays Centre's proposal on continuation of mining activities on tailing dumps at KGF
Bengaluru, Jun 20: Karnataka cabinet on Thursday gave its approval to a Union government proposal on continuation of mining activities on 13 tailing dumps attached to Bharat Gold Mines Limited in Kolar district, while seeking the transfer of 2,330 acres of the defunct company for its proposed industrial township there.
Briefing reporters after a cabinet meeting, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said: "as a special permission of the state government is required as per the MMDR act, the cabinet has granted its approval."
"The cabinet has given its approval for the central government's proposal to continue the mining activities in 13 tailing dumps area of 1,003.4 acre, at the inactive Bharat Gold Mines Limited's (BGML) mining area at KGF in Kolar district, under MMDR (Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Amendment) act's section 17," he said.
If mining activities are started using these tailing dumps, naturally it will generate jobs, Patil said, pointing out that the state government has already asked the Centre for 2,330 acre land in the area for establishing an industrial township there.
ALSO READ: Building collapse in Kodagu injures several; rescue operations underway
Further noting that BGML, till 2022-23, had to pay Rs 75,24,88,025 as arrears to Karnataka, he said: "we will be requesting the Government of India to pay, or else, as we have asked them for the land, they may ask us to consider the amount for the land in kind -- like exchange."
Meanwhile, the cabinet authorised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to decide on the dates for holding the monsoon session of the state legislature. "It is likely to be for two weeks," the Minister said.
The government has also mandated the placing portraits of B R Ambedkar along with Mahatma Gandhi during celebration of Constitution Day, Independence Day and Republic Day.
"During the celebration of Constitution Day, Independence Day and Republic Days, Mahatma Gandhi's portrait is usually placed, from hereon B R Ambedkar's portrait should also be compulsorily placed. It will be in all places where celebrations are held," Patil said.
Other cabinet decisions include administrative approval for the construction of a new outpatient block at the K R Hospital campus in Mysuru at an estimated cost of Rs 75 crore, free power and water facilities to all 46,829 government schools and 1,234 PU colleges at an estimated cost of Rs 29.19 crore, and Rs 2.37 crore for implementation of personality development programme for students at residential schools under social welfare development department in association with Rotary International-Bengaluru.
The cabinet has also given its consent to take the help of women self help groups in recovery of property tax and water bill dues in different urban local bodies of the state. The property tax dues are to the tune of Rs 1,860.17 crore, the Minister said.
It was also decided to give in principle approval for declaring 33 units of the Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement in the state as "special police stations", and they will get the status of police stations in dealing with SC/ST atrocities cases.
Stating that the purpose of this is to reduce the workload of police stations, the Minister said discussions were also held regarding approval of 450 posts for managing and working these stations.
The cabinet has authorised the Chief Minister to form a sub-committee regarding issues faced by the Universities in the state, including staff shortage.
"When the cabinet discussed giving Rs 279 crore for six universities, concerns were raised about vacancies in old established universities of the state, and also regarding salary and pension issues there, along development and technology import. The cabinet has requested the Chief Minister to constitute a cabinet sub-committee to find solutions for them," he said.
Approval was also given for 7,110 km of rural roads at an estimated cost of Rs 5,190 crore, under the 'Pragati Path' scheme with external assistance.
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.
US SC rejects 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana’s plea seeking stay on his extradition to India
New York, Apr 7 (PTI): The US Supreme Court has rejected 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's appeal seeking a stay on his extradition to India, moving him closer to being handed over to Indian authorities to face justice.
Rana, 64, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles.
He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. Headley conducted a recce of Mumbai before the attacks by posing as an employee of Rana’s immigration consultancy.
Rana had submitted an ‘Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus' on February 27, 2025, with Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit Elena Kagan.
Kagan had denied the application earlier last month.
Rana had then renewed his ‘Emergency Application for Stay Pending Litigation of Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus previously addressed to Justice Kagan’, and requested that the renewed application be directed to US Chief Justice John Roberts.
An order on the Supreme Court website noted that Rana's renewed application had been “distributed for Conference” on April 4 and the “application” has been “referred to the Court.”
A notice on the Supreme Court website Monday said that “Application denied by the Court.”
Rana was convicted in the US of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorist plot in Denmark and one count of providing material support to Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashker-e-Taiba which was responsible for the attacks in Mumbai.
New York-based Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra had told PTI that Rana had made his application to the Supreme Court to prevent extradition, which Justice Kagan denied on March 6. The application was then submitted before Roberts, “who has shared it with the Court to conference so as to harness the entire Court’s view.”
The Supreme Court justices are Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
In his emergency application, Rana had sought a stay of his extradition and surrender to India pending litigation (including exhaustion of all appeals) on the merits of his February 13.
In that petition, Rana argued that his extradition to India violates US law and the UN Convention Against Torture "because there are substantial grounds for believing that, if extradited to India, the petitioner will be in danger of being subjected to torture."
"The likelihood of torture in this case is even higher though as petitioner faces acute risk as a Muslim of Pakistani origin charged in the Mumbai attacks,” the application said.
The application also said that his “severe medical conditions” render extradition to Indian detention facilities a “de facto" death sentence in this case.
The US Supreme Court denied Rana's petition for a writ of certiorari relating to his original habeas petition on January 21. The application notes that on that same day, newly-confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio had met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington on February 12 to meet with Trump, Rana’s counsel received a letter from the Department of State, stating that “on February 11, 2025, the Secretary of State decided to authorise” Rana’s "surrender to India,” pursuant to the “Extradition Treaty between the United States and India”.
Rana’s Counsel requested from the State Department the complete administrative record on which Secretary Rubio based his decision to authorize Rana’s surrender to India.
The Counsel also requested immediate information of any commitment the United States has obtained from India with respect to Rana’s treatment. “The government declined to provide any information in response to these requests,” the application said.
It added that given Rana’s underlying health conditions and the State Department’s findings regarding the treatment of prisoners, it is very likely “Rana will not survive long enough to be tried in India".
During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Modi in the White House in February, President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.
A total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege, attacking and killing people at iconic and vital locations in Mumbai.
