Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Feb 2: Dakshina Kannada district has about 120 stone quarries. These quarries use guillotine and other explosives for setting off explosions and extract stones.

Relating to the proliferation of red bauxite, laterite stone and sand mining going on in the district, politicians have been making allegations and counter allegations against one another. However, directly no one's name has specifically emerged anywhere. Large scale explosion had happened at Vittal in 2016 and about ten years back at Kadaba.

Granite mining is a huge industry in Udupi. As many as 116 of the quarries there are authorised. There are allegations that local politicians have been running quarries in the name of industrialists. Most of the stone quarries are located in Udupi, Karkala, and Kundapur taluks. Mostly black granites are extracted at these quarries. About 15 years back, a major explosion had happened near Peruvaje, when guillotine was being transported in a vehicle.

There are 88 stone quarries and 40 crusher units in Chikkamagaluru district. Some of them are owned by the relatives of a few politicians. Mining also takes place at Navilugudda and surrounding areas of Tarikere taluk.

Sridev Hulikere of WildCAT-C organization has been demanding for banning mining in Chikkamagaluru as the district is located in the Western Ghats and the mining is sure to damage the environment.

Illegal mining takes place at Bukkasagara in Hospet taluk close to Tungabhadra river basin. The perceived risk of the river changing its course looms large. While politicians are not directly involved with mining here, their relatives are of course, are involved. They often set off small scale explosions. Kappathagudda in Gadag is anothef place where illegal quarrying goes on under the protection of influential politicians. Even though people suffer minor injuries during bore blasting, no cases are registered. There have also been cases of people drowning in the standing waters of the quarries.

Because of the granite mining in Hanumasagara revenue division of Koppal district, the Chittawadagi pond in Hungund taluk is facing extreme danger. As illegal mining is conducted with the blessings of politicians, officials are not taking action. Waste from the mines around the pond are being poured into this pond.