Tahsildar’s ban orders just an eyewash say residents

Mysore: Following a series of complaints from people against illegal mining and stone quarrying and following the death of a person who was working in a quarry last Thursday, the Srirangapatna Tahsildar has banned mining and quarrying in 12 villages in and around Srirangapatna.

In an order issued last evening, Tahsildar D. Nagesh has imposed a blanket ban on mining, quarrying and transporting of stones from the evening of June 22 till the evening of July 6 at Jakkanahalli, Channannakere, Kalenahalli, Gananguru, Siddapura, Madangadore, Hangarahalli, Gowdahalli, Kodishettypura, Neelanakoppalu, T.M. Hosuru, Srirampura and surrounding areas.

However, many residents told Star of Mysore that the Tahsildar’s order is just an eyewash as mining will continue unabated despite ban orders. They recalled that sometime back, Mandya Deputy Commissioner had imposed a blanket ban in entire Mandya district as the mining literally threatened the very existence of the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam.

Even geologists and disaster management experts had opined that there was a need to ban mining in and around KRS Dam considering the Dam’s safety. But despite the ban, mining activity has continued and all the scientific reports were ignored, they said.

“Many such orders have been issued in the recent past but there has been no end to illegal mining. These ban orders are imposed whenever there is a protest or whenever people die. After things cool down, the mining is restarted,” a farmer leader said.

Along with the mining ban, Section 144 has been imposed in all the villages and surrounding areas. In the order, the Tahsildar has started that there were repeated complaints from residents about the unabated and illegal mining and despite the Police booking many FIRs, the practice of quarrying continued. Many residents have complained that apart from the loud sound of blasts that threaten the very foundation and walls of their homes, the villages are extremely polluted and the groundwater is contaminated leading to death of livestock.

This apart, there are reports of human beings dying and sustaining injuries during quarrying as no safety precautions are followed, the Tahsildar’s order observed.

Even Geology and Mining Department officials have reported violations by quarry owners and in the interest of public safety and to protect public property, the ban has been enforced, stated the Tahsildar.

Government sources told SOM that the Tahsildar’s action comes in the wake of the death of Raju last Thursday. Raju was a tractor driver and died in an accident. Following the death, the Arakere Police had registered a case and the Police had recommended the Tahsildar to impose the ban.