Mangaluru: BJP district spokesperson Harikrishna Bantwal, on Thursday alleged that Congress leader and Zilla Panchayath member Padamashekar Jain has plundered natural resource by resorting to illegal stone mining in reserve forest in Kaval-Modduru Village.
Addressing a press meet at BJP office here, Harikrishna Bantwal said, “Padmashekar Jain who happens to be Zilla Panchayath member has encroached two acres of forest land in Kodiyamale in Kavala-Moodur Village, and running an illegal quarry thus plundering natural resources worth crores of rupees.”
He questioned the silence of district administration, revenue, forest, environmental departments and Department of mines and geology have remained mute spectators since 2008?
Nearly Rs 200 crores worth of natural resources have been plundered from the forest land,” he added
Bantwal also alleged that Jain has carried this illegal activity by threatening the government officer of transfers using his political power.
“Along with MP Nalin Kumar Kateel we will take a delegation to the DC, ask him to register a case against Jain under IPC 379. We also demand that this case should be handed over to the CID,” he said adding that illegal stone mining has been stopped at the quarry after an interim order from the High Court was passed on basis of a complaint filed by activist Padmanabha Mayya.
He also said that in 2009, the then Deputy Commissioner had issued the notice to stop the mining in the quarries.
