Inspections by the Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau (VACB) on Thursday at quarries and tipper lorries unearthed widespread malpractices in connection with the transportation of quarry products such as hard rock and crushed stone.
Christened ‘Operation Stonewall’, the inspections were carried out by 67 squads. Vigilance officials found that a large number of tipper lorries transporting quarry products were operating without the passes issued by the Department of Mining and Geology. Many of the vehicles that did possess the passes were found to be carrying excess loads.
Of the 306 vehicles inspected till Thursday evening, 133 were found to be operating without the mandatory passes. As many as 157 lorries were found to be carrying loads in excess of the permissible limit, Vigilance director Sudesh Kumar said.
Inspections carried out in the quarries revealed irregularities in 27 units. In many quarries, the inspections were continuing late into Thursday evening, the VACB director said.
Without permits
Rules require vehicles transporting quarry products from quarries and crusher units to be registered with the Kerala Online Mining Permit Awarding Service (KOMPAS) portal of the department and obtain the passes. But vigilance officials found that most quarries were allowing vehicles that do not possess the passes also to transport rocks and minerals. They also found that planks were being fitted to the sides of the trucks to illegally increase cargo space.
The raids were conducted on the basis of information received by the VACB director that the government was losing crores of rupees by way of royalty owing to the malpractices and that officials of the Mining and Geology Department and the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) were remaining silent on the issue.
Vehicles carrying excess loads were handed over to the MVD. The MVD has collected approximately ₹11 lakh as fine from vehicles carrying excess load. The vehicles that lacked passes were seized and handed over to the Department of Mining and Geology.
The raids were led by H. Venkatesh, IG (VACB). The inspections would continue in the coming days, Mr. Sudesh Kumar said.