Bengaluru, July 5 -- In a development that could reopen one of Karnataka's biggest mining scandals, the Karnataka Forest Department has reportedly quantified the loss caused by the alleged illegal mining operations of Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC), linked to former Karnataka minister Gali Janardhana Reddy, at a staggering Rs 1.17 lakh crore and sought its recovery.
The department's assessment, submitted to the state government, is said to conclude that large-scale illegal extraction of iron ore from protected forest land in Ballari caused massive financial losses to the state besides extensive ecological damage. The report reportedly recommends that the government initiate proceedings to recover the amount from OMC under the relevant pro...