An NGO, Samaj Parivartana Samudaya, filed a PIL against the illegal mining and encroachment of forest areas in the state of Karnataka leading the apex court to ban all kinds of mining activities in the state and appointment of Central Empowered Committee (CEC).

The Special Forest Bench granted the CEC two weeks to file a comprehensive report detailing the steps taken for statutory compliance, implementation of R&R measures and the permission needed for the resumption of mining wherein CEC has put the mines in the area into three categories as A, B and C. The mines in which there were least or no irregularities were categorized as 'A' and those with maximum illegalities were put in 'C' category.

The three-judge forest bench headed by Justice Aftab Alam accepted the report of Central Empowered Committee (CEC) which had said that Category 'A' leases which consist of 21 operational and 24 non-operational leases be allowed to carry on their business as they have not violated any rules.

The Supreme Court on 3rd September 2012 lifted the ban on iron ore mining from 18 Category "A" mines in Karnataka though the court made it clear that the resumed mining activities would come to halt if the existing statutory clearances are not renewed before they expire and that resumption of mining activities shall not come in the way of investigation of any other law that has been transgressed.

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