Bettahalsur residents file fresh complaint to Upalokayukta
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Ramesh, father of drowning victim Nanda Kumar.
People of Bettahalsur have filed a fresh complaint to the Upalokayukta against district administration and Department of Mines and Geology for failing to fill open quarry pits in their village. Five engineering students had drowned in the pit on Thursday.
Upalokayukta has noticed Deputy Commissioner Bengaluru Urban district and Director, Department of Mines and Geology to submit an action taken report after he issued directions a year ago.
The complaint filed by the office bearers of Bettahalsur Grama Devatha Muthyalamma Devi Parisara Samrakshana Vedike stated that illegal quarry work had been carried out in the village. In 2011, after the Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi visited the quarry spots, all the illegal quarrying was stopped. This apart, certain licences granted within the buffer zone were cancelled and action was initiated.
The Upalokayukta had also visited nearby villages Metiganahalli and Kannur on complaints of rampant illegal stone jelly crushing units. Almost 90 stone crusher units in Bettahalasur alone were closed for various violations in January 2014. The sketch produced by the district administration suggested that safer zone was in a prohibited area and it was also found that huge amount of royalty not collected.
“The then Deputy Commissioner, after noticing several deaths in the open quarry pits, had taken a decision to fence the entire quarry area in order to prevent people from entering such dangerous quarries. The villagers have complained that because of the inaction on the part of the district administration and Mines and Geology Department officials, quarry pits with almost 100-200 feet depth were left open. This has resulted in the death of five young engineering students,” Justice Adi said.
The villagers also said that there have been many deaths in the last one year in such open pits, but have gone unnoticed. Because of the water stored in such pits, gullible villagers enter the quarry for washing clothes. “During the enquiry last year, it was directed to take steps to stop illegal quarrying. After the action was initiated by the district administration for cancellation of quarrying operation, the officials were also directed to fill the deep pits with debris or fence them. However, it seems the administration has not bothered to act on this,” Justice Adi said.
The Upalokayukta has directed DC Urban, Director Mines and Geology Department and Senior Geologist to submit report as to why the quarry pits were kept open and accessible to public. The officials have been directed to submit the report on April 30.
Upalokayukta has noticed Deputy Commissioner Bengaluru Urban district and Director, Department of Mines and Geology to submit an action taken report after he issued directions a year ago.
The complaint filed by the office bearers of Bettahalsur Grama Devatha Muthyalamma Devi Parisara Samrakshana Vedike stated that illegal quarry work had been carried out in the village. In 2011, after the Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi visited the quarry spots, all the illegal quarrying was stopped. This apart, certain licences granted within the buffer zone were cancelled and action was initiated.
The Upalokayukta had also visited nearby villages Metiganahalli and Kannur on complaints of rampant illegal stone jelly crushing units. Almost 90 stone crusher units in Bettahalasur alone were closed for various violations in January 2014. The sketch produced by the district administration suggested that safer zone was in a prohibited area and it was also found that huge amount of royalty not collected.
“The then Deputy Commissioner, after noticing several deaths in the open quarry pits, had taken a decision to fence the entire quarry area in order to prevent people from entering such dangerous quarries. The villagers have complained that because of the inaction on the part of the district administration and Mines and Geology Department officials, quarry pits with almost 100-200 feet depth were left open. This has resulted in the death of five young engineering students,” Justice Adi said.
The villagers also said that there have been many deaths in the last one year in such open pits, but have gone unnoticed. Because of the water stored in such pits, gullible villagers enter the quarry for washing clothes. “During the enquiry last year, it was directed to take steps to stop illegal quarrying. After the action was initiated by the district administration for cancellation of quarrying operation, the officials were also directed to fill the deep pits with debris or fence them. However, it seems the administration has not bothered to act on this,” Justice Adi said.
The Upalokayukta has directed DC Urban, Director Mines and Geology Department and Senior Geologist to submit report as to why the quarry pits were kept open and accessible to public. The officials have been directed to submit the report on April 30.