NewInd Press reported that representatives of Bellary Iron Ore Company have boycotted the survey of iron ore mines situated in the villages bordering Obulapuram and H Siddapuram in D Hirehal mandal, alleging that survey officials are favourably disposed towards the Obulapuram Mining Company with which they have a dispute over mining jurisdiction.

Prior to the latest one, a survey had been conducted for 15 days basing on the stone markings on the boundary between Obulapuram and H Siddapuram villages. The surveyors came to the conclusion that the Obulapuram Company had encroached upon the mining area of Bellary Iron Ore Company and that the ore mined by Obulapuram Mining Company actually belonged to Bellary Iron Ore Company.

Obulapuram Mining Company disputed their report, saying the survey should be based not on the boundary stone markings but on the boundaries mentioned in its lease deed. It brought pressure on the survey officials to redo the survey.

Bellary Iron Ore Company, however, opposed Obulapuram Mining Company’s contention and announced at a meeting on Monday that it would boycott any resurvey. They even threatened not to affix signatures on any agreement the survey officials hoped to hammer out.

Accordingly, a survey was conducted by a three member team consisting of the joint director of mines & geology, land survey regional director and the conservator of forests. The High Court later asked the district judge to visit the disputes sites and submit a report to it. The district judge, Mr K Geddanna, visited the sites on Feb 3 and submitted his report to the High Court. He opined that the boundary between the two mining zones could not be ascertained without surveying the mines which he said would be possible only with the help of the Survey of India. He also expressed his displeasure over the district police on the matter of security.