No mining licence was given by me: Krishna

The probe order came on a complaint which alleged that during his tenure as chief minister from 1999 to 2004,Krishna had not only sanctioned mining lease on old rates but also de-reserved forest land,despite severe opposition from the department of forest and environment.

“There has been no de-reservation of forests as being incorrectly reported. The Cabinet sometime in 2003 decided to de-reserve mineral wealth for mining. Government is fully empowered to take such decisions as per the Minerals Concession Rules 1960. A gazette notification was issued pursuant to this Cabinet decision. The notification clearly states that applicants for mining leases have to obtain ‘no objection certificates’ from the forest department. When a gazette notification has been issued,it is abundantly clear that nothing has been done in secret,” Krishna said in his statement.

He also said that he had never retained the portfolio of Mines and Geology during his term as chief minister between 1999 and 2004. He added that though he was not aware of licences having been issued for mining during this period,even if they had been,it would have been done by the competent authority of the Mines and Geology department which means there was no question of any wrongful loss to the government and therefore there could not have been any wrongful gain.

He said that Hegde had conducted a detailed inquiry on mining from 1999 to 2010 and had not indicted him anywhere in that report,a matter on which the former judge has “gone on record in public”.