×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Dammadahalli experiences tremors everyday

Illegal quarrying, blasting goes on without fear of law
Last Updated 16 May 2012, 17:27 IST

Illegal quarrying by private individuals has been going on relentlessly right under the nose of the district administration and forest department, but yet the authorities have not taken any step to stop the exploitation and looting of the natural resource.

Situated just few yards from Mathavara Forest Information Centre, illegal quarrying has been going on at Dammadahalli, on forest land since several years.

However, the authorities who should have taken action against the individuals engaged in quarrying have turned a blind eye.

With the unabated quarrying, the local residents are living under constant fear of losing the roof over their heads. The proofs are the cracks on the walls of most of the houses in the region, caused due to the use of explosives for quarrying.

Though the villagers know that two influential persons from the village have been quarrying in the region without any permission from district administration, forest department, mines and geology and environment department, they have not been able to help themselves.

The villagers suspect unholy nexus between the two individuals and the forest department, however, since they have no proof to establish the same, they have remained silent about the whole issue.

The villagers say that everyday, from 4 pm to 6 pm, explosives are used to blast the grit stones in the forest land, which is closely located to the residential area in the village.

“We have brought this to the notice of the forest department several times, but it has not yielded any results so far. Two days ago a forest official visited the spot and unloaded the grit stones loaded into a lorry. He has neither seized the lorry nor has he booked cases in this regard,” says a villager adding that lenient attitude of the forest officials has boosted the courage of the private individuals engaged in quarrying here.

Another villager says that quarrying was stopped for a few days when they had filed complaint with the forest officials. However, after a week, the activity resumed and it continues even today.

“We experience earthquake everyday practically because of the blasting. Most of the houses and cowsheds in the village need urgent repair. We wonder if the structure will withstand the monsoon this year,” said a villager.

Responding to the same, Deputy Conservator of Forest Venkateshan said that firstly the department will have to verify and confirm if the activity is going on in forest land. “We will inspect the spot and based on the outcome of the inspection we will take action,” he said.

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 16 May 2012, 17:27 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT