Closure notice to quarries within 1 km of Kappatagudda wildlife sanctuary

The Mines and Geology department has issued notice to 14 quarry owners/contractors to stop quarrying within 1 km of Kappatagudda wildlife sanctuary.

The notices were issued following the direction by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change that no quarrying/mining should be allowed within 1 km of national parks and sanctuaries.

A total of 11 stone quarries and two sand quarries and one soil quarry were operating close to the sanctuary.

Rajesh, senior geologist of the department, told DH that the department had issued notice to 14 quarries on August 31 and seven of them have replied. “The quarry owners/contractors claim that they had obtained the necessary permission from the Forest, Revenue and Environment departments for quarrying before the area was declared wildlife sanctuary.”