Illegal quarrying: Farmers lay siege to KRS police station

Local representatives hand in glove with offenders

The farmer leaders, who took PSI Preetham to task, alleged that stone quarrying has been going on right under the nose of the policemen, which proves their dereliction of duty. Though the cops are aware of illegal mining, they have failed to take steps to curb the same.

Flays police

The members also flayed the deputy superintendent of police for showing negligence as the accused were blasting of rocks using the explosives without permission.

The police and the officials of mines and geology have failed to curb the same. The government should take steps against them, demanded farmer leader K S Nanjundegowda.
The local elected representatives have indulged in illegal quarrying since several years at KRS. Mining is banned around 10 mts radius at Shravanabelagola, the same should be followed at KRS also, they demanded.

Two arrested

Meanwhile, Ramesh, son of Hale Undavadi  Narayanaswamy and Mahadeva of KRS have been arrested and produced before the court. Two more persons, Umesh and Shankar are absconding and police have spread a net to catch them, said PSI Preetham.

It may be recalled that the KRS police detected the stone quarrying on the northern bank of the reservoir, when the arrested, Mahadeva, son of one Ningashetty, was drilling a hole in the rock for blasting it with dynamite. The compressor machine used for the quarrying has been recovered by the police.

Mines and Geology Department official Prasannakumar visited the spot on Tuesday evening. Umesh, Ramesh, Shankar and Mahadevu had in the past been granted permission for stone quarrying, but not for blasting the rock, he said.