GUNTUR | June 02, 2017: As a measure to check illegal mining and ensure safety of workers after the mishap at a quarry at Gollapalem in Phirangipuram on May 27, District Collector Kona Sasidhar has constituted six official teams. Six quarry workers died when a part of the hillock crashed onto them. The Mines and Geology Department had already cancelled the licence of Gaddam Rambabu, owner of the quarry, after the mishap.

The teams comprising officials of the Mines and Geology and Revenue departments and Pollution Control Board, have started inspecting the quarries in the district. According to official records, there are 264 quarries in the district. The official teams are cancelling the licences of quarry owners if any violation of safety norms are found during their inspection.

As per norms, the licensees need to get permissions from the Mines and Geology, Revenue, Commercial Taxes, Police and Labour departments for quarrying. But illegal quarrying is rampant in many parts of the district. It is a known fact that the quarry owners are not implementing any measures to ensure the safety of workers during blasting and quarrying operations. Workers are not being given any protective gear by the quarry owners to ensure their safety. There are also no basic amenities for workers at the quarries. The halting of quarry operations after the mishap has rendered many workers jobless.

Assistant Director of Mines and Geology IA Srinivasa Kumar said: “We have started serving notices on licensees who failed to ensure safety of workers at quarries, asking them to stop operations..”

Gurazala RDO E Murali said: “Lapse and non-renewal of mining licences are detected during inspection of quarries by the official teams in the division. Illegal mining in non-allocated areas and possession of explosives without any valid permit are also found. The inspection of quarries will be completed within four days. All measures will be taken to ensure the safety of workers at quarries.”

(Source: http://www.newindianexpress.com/)