New Delhi, Apr 11 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Union Steel Ministry to apprise about its stand on pleas of mining firms seeking a nod to export their excavated iron ore from mines in districts of Ballari, Chitradurga, and Tumakuru in Karnataka.

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana also asked Additional Solicitor General K M Natraj, appearing for the Centre, not to share the affidavit with the media before filing the response in the court.

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Iron ore exports from Karnataka were banned in 2012 by the apex court with an aim to prevent environmental degradation and to ensure that the mineral resources of the state are preserved for future generations as part of the concept of intergenerational equity.

“What is your stand? Are going to support the export of iron ore... You file it by tomorrow(Tuesday),” said the bench, which also comprised justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli.

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“We read affidavits in the media only. Today, I received the affidavits in the court but early this morning my PRO said that I have seen this affidavit in a newspaper....,” the CJI said.

“It will not happen from the Union side,” the law officer responded.

The apex court was hearing a slew of applications of mining companies seeking resumption of iron export from mines of these three districts of Karnataka saying the Centre and the CEC (Central Empowered Committee) both have favoured their pleas.

The bench took note of the submissions of a battery of senior lawyers including Mukul Rohatgi, Dushyant Dave, Rakesh Dwivedi, and Krishnan Venugopal on behalf of various mining firms.

They said that nowhere in the country, the export of iron ore is banned except in these three districts and moreover, in the present context, e-auctions of iron ore have led to the stifling of these companies as they are at the mercy of one big steel manufacturer.

“There is no ban on the export of iron ore under the Import-export policy. The steel industry cannot take a stand contrary to this policy. In Chhattisgarh, miners can export. In Odisha, miners can export. But in Karnataka, miners cannot,” Dave said.

Referring to past rampant illegal mining, the bench said, “You can blame yourself for this”.

The bench then asked the Ministry of Steel to clarify if sufficient iron ore is available in the domestic market and if export of the mined material may be permitted and listed the matter for further hearing on April 18.

Recently, the Centre has supported the plea of miners from Karnataka to allow them to export their stocks of iron ore, saying the situation has improved since the ban was imposed in the state due to illegal mining and encroachment upon forest land.

The CEC has also agreed to allow iron ore exports from Karnataka in its recent reports.

It has also sought suggestions on naming a former judge to monitor the exports if the curbs are lifted.

The mining companies said besides depriving them of more than three times the value they get while selling in the domestic market, the export ban has also harmed the prospect of the government getting more foreign exchange.

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO ‘Samaj Parivartan Samudaya' on whose plea the mining was banned, said though the Ministry of Mining has supported the CEC on resumption of exports, the Steel Ministry has often spoken against iron ore exports and it should be consulted.

He suggested the name of Justice N Santosh Hegde, former judge of the apex court, to monitor the export of iron ore if it is permitted.

The Bench said it will urgently decide whether or not to allow the export of iron ore already extracted in Karnataka rather than examining the issue of whether iron ore exports from the state should be permitted.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)