The Karnataka Forest Department has rejected a proposal to explore iron ore and manganese in the Swamimalai Forest Block (434.73 hectares) in Sandur taluk in Ballari.

Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) has proposed three times in six months to drill for exploration in the “Haddinapade Iron Ore Block”.

The January 2024 proposal, which originally called for 81 boreholes to be drilled, was revised down to six but was still rejected.