The Supreme Court today accepted the recommendations of a Central Empowered Committee, CEC, that no new mining leases should be granted in Bellary, Tumkur and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka unless rehabilitation plans for the existing leases were executed.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia directed the implementation of Reclamation and Rehabilitation, R&R, plan in all categories of mines to start immediately and would be under the supervision of CEC.