State has to auction 8 renewed mining leases

April 12, 2015

New Delhi, Apr 12: With the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act – MMDRA – in place, the Karnataka government may have to auction the eight iron ore mining leases, which were renewed by the State government in January this year.

Mining leases
According to the MMDR Act, 8(A) (5) (6), the maximum period that a mining lease can be held is for 50 years. On the expiry of the lease period, the lease shall be put up for auction as per the procedure specified in the Act.

Period of 50 years

The existing lease, the Act says, “shall be extended and be deemed to have been extended up to a period ending 31st March 2020, with effect from the date of expiry” of the last renewal or “till completion of the renewal period, if any, or a period of fifty years from the date of grant of such lease, whichever is later.”

However, this is not applicable to leases where “renewal has been rejected, or which have been determined or lapsed.” But several states, including Karnataka, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, have approved mining leases both fresh and renewed on the day, or after the ordinance was issued. “The Centre has clearly stated that all those mines have to be allotted freshly through e-auction. The Ministry of Mines is in the process of finalising the auction rules,” sources in the ministry told Deccan Herald.

Should allot fresh leases

All the states, which have sanctioned mining leases either fresh or renewed on or after January 12, 2015, using discretionary power, (the ordinance amending MMDRA came into effect on this day), have to allot fresh leases after conducting auction, Minister of Mines Narendra Singh Tomar said.

As far as Karnataka incident is concerned, though the file related to eight iron ore mining leases has not reached the Ministry of Mines so far, sources said, “it is understood that the states can’t renew or allot fresh mines of those leases already lapsed after the ordinance was issued. Every state has to adhere to this law.” Granting of renewal licences by the Karnataka government is in clear violation of section 8(A) (5) (6) and (9) of the MMDR Act, they said.

In January, the Siddaramaiah-led government had given full renewal permission to one expired iron ore mining lease and in-principle renewal to seven expired licences.

Of the eight leases, five got in-principle renewals on the same day (January 12, 2015) as the ordinance, amending MMDRA, came into force.

Favour alleged

Alleging that the State government was trying to favour some firms, the BJP has questioned why these eight mines were not auctioned despite expiry of their lease, as mandated by the new law. The Opposition wants to know why the State government favoured eight firms of the 108 applications seeking lease permission.

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News Network
December 5,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant step to curb online hate and intimidation, Mangaluru City Police have registered a suo motu case against multiple Instagram accounts accused of circulating alleged provocative and threatening content.

While monitoring social media activity on Tuesday, Kankanady Town PSI Anitha Nikkam identified the Instagram handle ‘team_targetttt_900’ for posting a hate message alongside images of lethal weapons. Another account, ‘team_nagara_900’, allegedly shared a threatening post targeting activist Bharath Kumdelu, tagging additional pages such as KARAVALI-OFFICIAL.

Several other accounts — including ‘immu_bhai.fan’, ‘target_boy_900’, ‘kings_of_manglore’, ‘team_target_boys.900’, ‘arshad_mangalore’, ‘target_ka19_ullal’, ‘team_target__’, ‘troll_tigersz_900’, ‘tr_group_900’, and ‘team_target_900’ — are also under scrutiny for spreading similar inflammatory material, police said.

Authorities have urged citizens, especially young social media users, to report suspicious pages and avoid engaging with groups that glorify violence or threaten individuals. Online hate can quickly escalate into real-world harm, and police stress that sharing or promoting such content can attract legal consequences.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 17,2025

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Melkar, Dec 17: The 17th Annual Day and Graduation Ceremony of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, themed “Fusion-2K25,” was celebrated with dignity and enthusiasm, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s academic journey. The programme reflected the college’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence, character building, and the holistic development of students.

The event was inaugurated by Mr. Asif Mohammed, whose presence greatly enriched the occasion. The celebration was further graced by the chief guests Mr. P. B. Ahmed Mudassir and Mr. Nissar Fakeer Mohammed, along with the distinguished guests of honour Mr. B. A. Nazeer and Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar. In their inspiring addresses, the guests encouraged the graduating students and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the management, faculty, and students.

The annual report was presented by the Principal, Mr. Abdul Majeed S, highlighting the institution’s academic progress, notable achievements, and extracurricular accomplishments during the academic year.

The presidential address was delivered by the esteemed Chairman of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasized the vital role of education in empowering women and shaping responsible citizens. He also stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and perseverance in achieving success.

Cultural programmes and academic recognitions formed an integral part of the celebration, showcasing the talents and achievements of the students. The graduation ceremony was a proud moment for the outgoing students as they were formally conferred degrees and wished success in their future endeavours.

Ms. Mashmooma Fathima served as the Master of Ceremonies. The welcome address was delivered by Ms. Fathima Nida, and the programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms. Ayisha Suhana.

The event successfully achieved its objectives and was highly appreciated by the guests and attendees.

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