Mangaluru | Aug 11, 2017: Inaction on the part of the department of mines and geology, to deal with the issue of illegal stone quarries, drew the ire of members at the monthly KDP meeting chaired by Dakshina Kannada ZP president Meenakshi Shantigodu, here on Thursday.

The issue of paying compensation to those who had drowned in such quarries, was discussed in panchayat as well as KDP meetings in the past.

Expressing her ire at delay in disbursing compensation to victims of quarry drownings despite resolutions adopted in earlier meetings, Meenakshi directed the department to take action against such quarries. "The department must follow up on this issue with revenue officials, to provide compensation to the next of kin of such victims," she said. She said officials must resolve the issue before the next KDP meeting.

ZP CEO M R Ravi said clear instructions were given to the department to take action against illegal quarries operating on revenue land, and to fence off abandoned quarries. Noting that the department has not acted on the directions, Ravi warned he will be forced to report it to the government. The Bantwal taluk panchayat executive officer too complained that the department is not helping the panchayat carry out surveys of such quarries.

ZP vice-president Kasturi Panja said an illegal stone quarry is functioning on nearly 800-acres of revenue land at Yekkur in Mangaluru taluk. "There is a need for a joint survey of this quarry by the revenue, survey, mines and geology departments and gram panchayats," she said. She said several people who had gone for a swim in abandoned quarries had drowned in the past.

Department of mines and geology deputy director Sumithra admitted that inspection of quarries that pose a danger to human lives has suffered for want of staff. "We will address complaints on this issue in conjunction with the revenue department and GPs, by carrying out surveys, within a month, and submit an action-taken report at the next meeting," she said. She said steps will be taken to disburse compensation.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)