Protests have risen against a stone quarry at Basthalapalli panchayat in Shoolagiri here, as the residents have raised safety and ecological issues demanding its closure.
On Monday, the residents led by the panchayat representatives arrived at the Colletorate with placards demanding that the Collector order the closure of the quarry, Konkan Aggregates Private Limited.
The residents have raised issues such as public safety, ecological degradation of ground water, farming, and other environmental concern to close down the quarry.
Over 50 heavy vehicles that ferried stones from the quarry damaged the village roads and caused accidents, the residents alleged.
According to the protesters, the Konkan Aggregates Private Limited-run-quarry was located on 30 acres of patta land and 15 acres of panchayat land. However, the quarry had not paid the taxes payable to the panchayat, ever since it was set up. Constant reminders by the panchayat were not heeded by the quarry.
The residents said that the recurrent explosion in the quarry without prior warning had damaged properties, besides posing serious threat to the lives of the villagers. It has been alleged that the explosions also whipped up stone dust and stone shrapnel, before settling on the adjoining farmlands and damaged houses, and roofs. There are over 10 villages surrounding Basthalapalli panchayat, whose farmlands were severely affected from the quarry dust, the residents said in their petition. The settling of dust on the farmlands was impacting the plantation of coconuts, mango, plantains, tamarind and other crops in the surrounding areas. Further, the ground water level had fallen to 1,000 feet from the earlier 300 feet, the residents said.
The panchayat has also alleged that the quarry had encroached parts of the graveyard land and village temple lands.