The State government on Friday informed the Legislative Assembly that the director of Mines and Geology Department would be asked to visit illegal quarrying areas in Yeshwantpur constituency in Bengaluru and submit a report to the Minister for necessary action.
In his reply to a question by S.T. Somashekar (BJP), Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, on behalf of Minister for Mines and Geology and Horticulture S.S. Mallikarjun, said the director would be asked to visit the quarrying areas and submit a report to the Minister in a week. Based on the spot report, the government would take action.
Mr. Gowda said some private companies had been indulging in illegal quarrying in areas beyond those allotted for mining and they were not paying the royalty to the government. He mooted a proposal for the regularisation of illegal mining areas by imposing a one-time penalty.
Noting that illegal mining and quarrying was going on in several parts of the State for many years, Mr. Gowda said drones could be used for monitoring mining in different districts. Blasts at quarry sites have been creating a lot of disturbances for people living in nearby villages, the Minister said.
Ten complaints have been received during the last three years with regard to illegal quarrying in the constituency, he said.
The Minister said 10 contracts had been sanctioned for quarrying in 46.04 acres in Yeshwantpur constituency and 23 acres was under stone crushing.
