Judgment :

I.A. No.22 C.E.C. Report dated 18th August, 2011:

On going through the Report of Central Empowered Committee [`CEC', for short], we extend the Order passed by this Court on 29th July, 2011, to the mining leases in Districts Tumkur and Chitradurga. Consequently, pending further orders, there will be a ban on mining in Districts Tumkur and Chitradurga.

[ii] According to the CEC Report, which is based on lease-wise information compiled by the Department of Mines and Geology, Karnataka, a stock of 25 million tonnes of iron ore extracted from various mining leases in Districts Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga is available. The question is, how much quantity could be released from the existing stock of 25 million tonnes of iron ore so that the Steel Industry is not starved. We have requested the learned Amicus Curiae and learned Attorney General to submit to this Court the quantity which could be released from the existing stock of 25 million tonnes of iron ore, subject to reclamation and rehabilitation plan(s) being submitted. In that regard, the lessees, Association of Steel Industry and all other affected parties as well as the petitioner, will submit requisite inputs to CE