Association charges private mining company with violating many norms

Seeks disciplinary action against the owner

The private company has been accused of dumping waste materials close toa tank at Dumagere in Hassan taluk.— Photo: Prakash Hassan

A private granite quarry owner accused of extracting granite blocks in the lease area of the Mysore Minerals Ltd., at Dumagere near here has also been alleged of not following the mandatory procedures. The waste generated in the quarry has been dumped close to a water body. Explosives have been used for blasting without obtaining clearance from competent authorities and unqualified people have been appointed to supervise the activities, the MML Employees’ Association has alleged.

The private quarry owned by H.G. Balakrishna of Bengaluru, had allegedly encroached upon MML’s lease area and extracted granite blocks worth over Rs. 3 crore for the last several months. The association has alleged that the violation committed by the private company was not limited to trespassing of the MML area. “For many years, the private owner had been dumping the waste materials generated in the quarry at a place close to a tank in Dumagere. The provisions of Environment Protection Act had been violated. The private had been using explosives for blasting without the permission of the authorities concerned to even procure such explosives,” Ravi Kumar, adviser to the association, pointed out.

As per the rules framed by the Mines and Geology Department, a second grade manager, a mine foreman and a qualified blaster should be appointed to oversee the quarry operations. When this reporter visited the quarry on Friday, Hemanth, resident of Shantigrama, claimed himself as the manager of the private quarry. He admitted that he had a Bachelor of Arts degree and did not have any certificate in mining. Mr. Kumar said, “A non-qualified person has been appointed as manager. There is no qualified foreman or blaster in the site to assist him. On other hand, MML has only qualified persons in these posts. We cannot take up blasting activity without following the set procedure. But, our staff in the site are a witness to serious violations, everyday.” The association has written to the Mines and Geology Department, seeking disciplinary action against the private quarry for violation of norms.

Nadeem, who has got the contract from the private quarry owner to extract granite blocks, told

The Hindu that the land available for dumping waste was insufficient. “We have asked the Mines and Geology Department to grant land for dumping wastes. We will remove the wastes, if dumped in violation of norms,” he said.