Mandya: Pandavapura Police have launched a crackdown on two  illegal stone quarrying units for using explosives at Baby Betta Kaval limits in Pandavapura Taluk. Baby Betta Kaval falls under 20 kms radius around the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam.  On a tip off, Police carried out this crackdown.

Police have seized explosives like gelatin sticks, detonators, tractor, crusher and other equipment used in mining activities. They recovered the materials at an illegal stone quarry unit operating at Kaveripura region and another stone unit in Baby Betta limits. Police have registered  cases under Explosive Substances Act 1908 column 511, 188, IPC 4(1A), 21, 22, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.

The Police raid comes in the wake of Mandya Deputy Commissioner (DC) N. Manjushree banning the use of high intensity explosives in mining and stone quarrying activities in 20 kms radius around the KRS Dam.

The ban has been imposed in view of Karnataka State Natural Disasters Monitoring Committee (KSNDMC) recommending the Mandya District Administration to check damages and fractures in Dam structures in the wake of high-intensity blasts in the mining areas around the Reservoir.

In a letter dated Sept. 27 addressed to Principal Secretary, Water Resources Department, Manjushree has said that high-intensity blasts in the mining areas are resulting in houses and buildings in the vicinity developing cracks apart from causing air pollution.

It may be recalled here that KSNDMC Director G.S. Srinivasa Reddy had also submitted a report on Sept. 25 where he had recommended the Mandya District Administration to take precautionary measures to control quarrying and mining activities within 15 to 20 kms of KRS and ensure the safety of the Dam that is the lifeline of the region, Bengaluru and Tamil Nadu.