Miners targeting Church property - Bellary Bishop Henry D'Souza

India: February 25, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

After exploiting the iron rich forest tracts on the inter-state boundary between Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the mining mafia has now extended its activity to the Catholic Diocese of Bellary, situated in Ramgad village in Sandur taluk and is extracting ore from its premises.

There are four colonial age bungalows in a dilapidated condition in the Diocese land. Church officials resided in these houses for over 70 years. The ownership of the land can be traced in the existing revenue records which are about 100 years old.

Bellary Bishop Henry D’Souza told reporters that in spite of repeated pleas to government departments, illegal mining has been going on in around 20 acres of Church property with the ‘support of people in high places in the state government’.

“Some people who claim to be members of Ranka International Pvt Ltd have for over a month, been visiting survey no. 9 in Ramgad village illegally mine iron ore and transport it. They started abusing us when we questioned them and claimed they had the active support of people in the government. Unfortunately, the administration has not done much to protect Church property”, he said.

To make matters worse the company claims to have obtained a mining license from the mines and geology department for survey number 9 owned by the Diocese, he said.

“We seem to have become soft targets for these unruly elements who with the support of individuals in the government, have taken undue advantage of the situation” the Bishop said. “The governments must intervene to protect the land of the Catholic community in Bellary and ensure justice is done”, he added.

When contacted, officials of the revenue and mines and geology department pleaded ignorance over the illegal mining activity in Church property.

News source: www.persecution.in