Geological Survey of India (GSI) teams conducting ground mineral surveys in Chikkamagaluru district have faced opposition from residents in the Balehonnur and Koppa areas over the collection of rock and soil samples on private land, officials said.
The ground work began after GSI completed aerial surveys intended to identify areas where mineral deposits may be present. Officials are conducting surveys at 41 locations across Karnataka, including three sites in Chikkamagaluru district, according to the report.
In and around Koppa and Balehonnur, survey teams are studying mineral zones to prepare thematic maps. The Kadur-Birur region is being examined for its granite geological spread and the contacts between different geological formations. Surveys in Banavara and Byrapura are focused on china clay, white-coloured alteration zones and minerals associated with iron and chromium.
The work is being carried out under the National Geophysical Mapping programme. The programme uses satellite imagery and aerial surveys to identify possible mineral-bearing areas before teams undertake field sampling. Officials said the teams collect about half a kilogram of soil or rock from a site.
The field activity became contentious when GSI officials visited a village near Balehonnur to collect samples. Residents objected after the team began breaking rocks on private land and asked the officials to leave. “We don’t know who they are properly. We opposed breaking rocks in private land. Let them go back,” locals were quoted as saying.
Geologist V. P. Kartik of the Karnataka mines and geology department said the teams use satellite imagery to identify locations where minerals may be present and then collect soil and stone samples. He described the work as a regular process and said the study was being conducted across the Koppa, Sringeri and Balehonnur region.
The episode has brought attention to the administrative arrangements required for geological surveys on the ground. While GSI is a central government organisation, access to land and coordination with local authorities involve state departments and district administration. GSI has written to Chikkamagaluru deputy commissioner Banwar Singh Meena seeking cooperation from the revenue, police and forest departments and requesting that local hurdles to the project be avoided.
The Karnataka mines and geology department has also written to the deputy commissioner seeking assistance for the GSI officers. The requests indicate that the survey depends not only on technical mapping but also on coordination between central officials, state agencies, police, forest authorities and landholders.
The immediate survey is not itself a mining operation. Its stated purpose is to establish geological information and identify areas that may later qualify as auctionable mineral blocks. Officials said blocks explored through the programme could subsequently be auctioned, generating royalty revenue for the Centre and the state. They also said mining-affected areas could receive support through District Mineral Foundation funds after mining activity begins.
The next stage will depend on the completion of field surveys and the preparation of geological maps and assessments. The supplied report does not state whether any mineral block in Chikkamagaluru has yet been identified for auction or whether additional permissions will be required for future sampling on private land.
