HASSAN: Though many stone and granite mining units in Hassan don’t have licence to use explosives, they continue to do so, officials said. There are 83 stone crushing, 36 granite escalation units and 23 sand mining blocks in the district, as per data from the mines and geology department.Nagaraj, senior geologist in the department, said that only about 50 per cent of the stone mining units have licences for blasting stones. The remaining units allegedly purchase the blasting materials from licence holders, he added. He said licences will be cancelled if any violations are found.
Hassan Deputy Commissioner R Girish told TNIE that a valid licence is a must for the blasting of stones. The district authorities have been on high alert and have tightened vigil after gelatine sticks loaded on a truck exploded at a stone crushing unit at Hunasodu village in Shivamogga district last week, claiming six lives.
The authorities held a special meeting of the owners of stone mining and stone crushing units recently and directed them to take precautionary measures while handling explosives. A task force committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner is taking precautionary measures to avoid untoward incidents in the district.
Hassan SP Srinivasagowda said that based on the report of the task force committee, the police have intensified checking and seized unlicensed blasting materials from three stone quarrying units.