Kolhapur | Jan 06, 2016: The district has earned Rs 101.5 crore as royalty from mining since 2006-07, as per the data from the district mining office, Kolhapur.
The district mining office issues permissions for mining and accepts royalty. Kolhapur, especially Chandgad, Bhudargad, Radhanagari and Shahuwadi tehsils, are known for mining activities, mainly bauxite mining.
The district portal of Kolhapur says the probable reserves of aluminous laterite are of the order of 2.1 crore tonnes, out of which about 10% can be considered to be good quality ore.
The first mining activity in Kolhapur was started in 1968 by Kolkata-based Indian Aluminium Company, which later became Hindalco. Mining in the district started to gain momentum 30 years ago.
In the early days, most of the mining activity in the district was restricted to Shahuwadi tehsil, where 10 major mining activities were taking place. During that period, environmental awareness was poor and disturbance to wildlife was not a crucial aspect of state's policy-making. There were allegedly several violations against the mining companies, such as rampant cutting of trees, no use of water to settle the dust, no replantation of trees, among others.
Sangli and Satara districts also have good reserves of bauxite in the Western Ghats. Some companies have initiated mining activities in those districts. However, most of the mines were closed by 2005 due to completion of excavationBOX
Mining activities During 1985 to 2005
Shahuwadi: 10
Chandgad: 3
Radhanagari: 2
Bhudargad: 1
Total mining : 1.79 crore tonne bauxite.
During 2006 to 2012
Shahuwadi : 9
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)