AP forest minister defends diamond giant

HYDERABAD: The department of forests has issued notices to De Beers India, the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC) and the mines and minerals department seeking an explanation for not informing the forest department about conducting prospecting in the reserve forest in Mahaboobnagar district recently.Forest officials have demanded that they be informed in advance by the companies about any activity pertaining to prospecting for precious minerals in forest lands. Speaking to reporters here today, forests minister P Ramachandra Reddy clarified that diamond giant De Beers did not violate any government orders by conducting an aerial survey of the reserved forests area of Mahaboobnagar district. He, however, admitted that about 2.5 per cent of the 6,000 sq km land given to De Beers India for prospecting for precious minerals was within the reserve forest area.After conducting a detailed probe into the alleged violations of government orders by De Beers India, forests officials found that De Beers India, APMDC and even the mines and minerals department of the state government had failed to inform the forests department about the survey.“Though they have the central government’s permit and need none from the state forests department, it is their responsibility to inform us. We found that there was no violation of the government orders but sought an explanation from them for not informing us about their activity,” he said.The mines and minerals department gave the ‘Reconnaissance Permit’ to De Beers India for prospecting for diamond, copper ore, lead, zinc and other precious minerals in an extent of 6,000 sq km in Mahaboobnagar district for a period of three years. The orders were issued in November last year based on the permits issued by the central government.The forests department launched a probe into the activities of De Beers India recently following alleged violation of norms by the diamond company by conducting an aerial survey of the reserve forest area without  permission.