The Chikkajala police on Friday booked six more cases with regard to illegal quarrying being carried out in Bangalore Urban district. Upalokayukta Subhash B. Adi-led team had seized 30 crushers and 13 trucks in Kannur and Mitaganahalli villages near Bengaluru International Airport on Tuesday.
With the booking of six cases, the total number has gone up to 36.
Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Adi said that preliminary investigation revealed that the owners neither had valid documents nor records to show the quantum of the quarrying done so far. “This means that they have not paid royalty to the government causing loss to the State exchequer and also did not pay sales taxes,” he said.
Suspecting the involvement of officials, Mr. Adi directed the heads of the Bescom, KSPCB, police and the mines and geology department to prepare a list of officials who worked in the area when quarrying took place, and prepare a list of officers who worked in the jurisdiction in the past decade, along with a detailed report on action taken against the illegal quarrying so far.
Though many claimed that they had valid licences to set up quarry, the way they carried the quarrying activities is in gross violation of norms laid down by the Supreme Court, Mr. Adi said, adding, “We have asked the quarry owners to produce the documents for verification.” Deputy Commissioner G.C. Prakash said check-posts have been set up jointly by the police and officials of the mines and geology department to keep a tab on illegal transportation of quarry material.
