BENGALURU: The recent visit of Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa to the villages in Tekal hobli of Malur taluk in Kolar district has revealed shocking findings about a dozen stone quarries and stone-crushing units excavating more than 300 ft deep, violating norms like exceeding permissible digging limits and lack of safety measures and border stones and fencing, among others.
Justice Veerappa ordered a case against 18 officials of the Mines and Geology, Public Works, Revenue, Survey, Labour departments, Bescom, Regional Transport Officer, Environment Officer and others of the district and issued notice to them. Among other violations, a stone-crushing unit is running in Sy.No. 186, Makarahalli, even after the expiry of the lease in 2021.
Justice Veerappa sought details like how many stone quarries and crushers are licensed and how many are operating without permits, illegal mining, and transport of murram and sand. Apart from this, he also directed them to furnish other details, such as whether a Mineral Dispatch Permit under Rule 42(1) of the KMCC Rules is issued and is being regularly supervised; if there are violations, how many cases are registered; whether all vehicles for the transport of minor minerals are registered for that purpose; and cases registered for non-installation of GPS and violation of prescribed routes for transport of minor minerals.
Further, he directed the authorities to explain whether the lease mining area is protected by a fence and has a 7.5-meter buffer zone, how many cases are registered for violation of the permit and conditions of licenses, and any action taken to rehabilitate the mining sites (excavation made up to 100 ft beneath the earth).
“According to the norms of the Mines and Geology Department and the Mining Act 1952, only a 6 mtrs (19.5 ft) deep stone quarry can be permitted. For more than this limit, approval has to be obtained from the Director General of Mines Safety, Government of India,” Geologist MK Vishwanath, who was present on the spot, informed the Upa Lokayukta.
The Upa Lokayukta, however, noticed that stone quarry owners were indulging in quarrying for more than 200 ft deep without having any approval from the Union Government and have also not produced a quarry plan or records.
Samples of deep excavations found during Upa Lokayukta’s visit:
Sy No. 2, Thimmanayakanahalli Agrahara, more than 200ft deep building stone quarry in 4 acres gomal land
Sy.No. 185, Makarahalli, 2 acres 10 guntas gomal land, stone quarrying for more than 300 ft
Sy.No. 185, Makarahalli, 2 acres 10 guntas gomal land, stone quarrying more than 190 feet
Sy.No. 33, Animitnalli, 3 acres gomal land, stone quarrying more than 150 ft deep
Sy.No. 33, Animitnalli, 4 acres gomal land, building stone quarrying more than 150 ft
Sy.No. 33, Animitnalli, 4 acres 20 guntas, building stone quarrying more than 150 ft deep
Sy.No. 33, Animitnalli, 10 acres gomal land, quarrying more than 150 ft deep.