Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Dec 17: The number of illegal red stone quarries are increasing in the district of Dakshina Kannada. It has come to light through the task force that most of these are exploiting the natural resource without permission. The district administration is resorting to taking strict legal action against such offenders. The district administration has formed a task force at the village level for the same purpose to keep an eye on the illegal red stone mining quarries.

It is known that, though there are more than 600 red stone quarries in the district, only 40 are licensed. The district administration has ordered all the red stone quarries to get a permit from the mining department as per procedure before January 2021. Violators are warned of stringent legal action.

Dr Rajendra KV

Village level task force consists of village accountant, PDO, DRFO, assistant agricultural officer, an officer of the horticulture department, surveyor and beat police. The application submitted by the red stone quarry owners to the mining department is sent to this task force. The task force committee has to authenticate the landmarked for red stone quarry and send the certificate to tahsildar and deputy director. It will be sent to deputy director of the mining department. Based on the report of the task force, the permit will be given to the applicant within a month.

Earlier, the system was not in place to ensure that the red stone quarry is carried out on the same land allocated for the purpose. However, with the new system in place, the district administration is going to put a brake to illegal red stone quarries.