Apex court extends stay on Reddy brothers’ mining operations in Andhra Pradesh

The Supreme Court today extended the stay on the mining operations of the Reddy brother in Andhra Pradesh.

The apex court also directed the Survey of India (SoI) officials to investigate the alleged encroachment at the sites of two mine owned by Reddy brothers and to submit a report by 22 April.

Earlier, the Reddys' 68.5-hectare iron ore mine had received an SoI nod as it had found no major encroachment. According to the panel, of the 68.5 hectares only 66 were to be used for mining.

The panel added that the remaining 2.5 hectares were meant for roads, however all 68.5 hectares were being used for mining, the panel probing the allegations against the Reddys observed.

On 22 March the apex court had suspended the brothers' mining operations in Andhra Pradesh and ordered investigation of the allegations by a survey team. The team was also directed to submit an interim report within two weeks.

The survey team had been asked by the apex court to monitor the six mines on the Andhra-Karnataka border- of which three belong to the Reddys to check for encroachment of forestland.