Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (SP)

Karkala, Aug 24: Deputy commissioner (DC) of Udupi district, Hemalata, has ordered for the closure of Panjarlapade stone quarry functioning in Sooda village within Belman gram panchayat, considering the opposition of the locals against its functioning.

She issued this instruction to the tahsildar here, after inspecting the quarry area and receiving petitions from the local people. Various complaints about illegal quarrying in eight places in the region without any permission, quarrying even in grazing land, use of explosives without permission resulting in cracking of walls and damages caused by flying rocks, thick debris deposited in fields and tanks because of the activity, road getting damaged because of movement of heavy trucks etc., had been received by the officials in the past.

The DC also visited the agricultural fields where rock sediment has destroyed crops, polluted water in tanks and houses damaged by the explosives. She said that she would urge the state government to put an end to stone quarrying in the region.

Tahsildar, Jagannath Rao, revenue officer, K P Nayak, zilla panchayat members, N B Babu, Savita Kotian, gram panchayat president and members, accompanied the DC during her visit.