Pvt firm awaits MoEF nod to carry out gold prospecting work in Tarikere taluk

CHIKKAMAGALUR: A Bengaluru firm has approached the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change seeking nod to conduct prospecting for gold deposits in Tarikere taluk, but has not received any positive response so far.

In September last year, the central mines and geology department had called for a tender for carrying out survey for gold deposits at Kenchenahalli in Tarikere taluk. The Bengaluru-based Aurum Geo Exploration Pvt Ltd had won the contract after paying Rs 1.5 crore towards the tender.

While the district administration has no information about the survey, the private firm has been chosen to carry out prospecting work for gold deposits by digging borewells in over 10,000 acres of land in Kenchenahalli, Mundre, Bettadahalli and Lingadahalli.

However, since about 4,000 acres of land is forest land, the private firm is awaiting clearance from the MoEF for carrying out prospecting work to estimate how much gold can be extracted from the area and if it will be commercially viable.