More skeletons tumble out of Reddys closet

BANGALORE:  Illegal mining which was going on a low scale in the past had gained wing once G Janardhana Reddy, now incarcerated in a Hyderabad jail, was made the district in-charge minister in Bellary district.Former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N Santhosh Hegde who had investigated into the allegations of illegal mining and nefarious iron-trade transactions which had caused a revenue a loss of over `16,000 crore to the state exchequer has stated in the report that “illegalities of iron-ore trade and its transportation was highest in 2009-10 and 2010-11 - when Reddy was at the helm of affairs in Bellary.The 28th chapter of the Lokayukta Report on illegal mining which was submitted to the state government in July this year has dealt with the issue of ‘Collapse of the Administrative and Governance System’ in Bellary district when Reddy was district  minister. The Lokayukta squarely laid the blame on law enforcing agencies, which had colluded with the culprits for the ore theft.During Reddy’s tenure, the Lokayukta found that officials sticking to rules and regulations were arbitrarily  transferred. “In my opinion, this is so because a cabinet minister who is involved in mining has been made the minister in-charge of the Bellary district,” the report states.The report has said that the minister manipulated his power as minister in-charge of the district to his advantage and has indulged in illegal mining through companies and firms of which he was director/partner and his supporters.It also remarked that “the system and officials were used by the minister to the personal advantage of himself and his family”.“No officer would dare to question his acts. Per Contra, they supported his acts either for consideration or out of fear,” the report added.Also blaming the government for closing its eyes despite knowing that one of its ministers was involved in abetting illegal mining in the state, it said that “the government did not take action to stop the irregularity probably on the ground that this minister was responsible for supporting the chief minister”.