PORVORIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on assured the House that the government has taken steps to fence water-filled mining pits and abandoned stone quarries so as to ensure safety of animals and human beings and prevent mishaps. He also agreed to constitute a committee comprising officials of all concerned departments to identify all illegal quarries across the State.
Replying to a calling attention notice tabled by Sanvordem MLA Ganesh Gaonkar, the Chief Minister said, “I will direct authorities to levy penalties on the owners of the illegal quarries and they will be asked to fence the quarry to prevent human beings or animals falling accidentally in it. There is a flying squad to act against illegal stone quarries but the government still does not know how many illegal quarries are operating or abandoned in the State.”
Sawant said that the Directorate of Mines and Geology had granted 74 quarry leases of which 60 are Basalt, 12 Laterite, and one Dolomite and Bentonite.
As per the lease condition, the lease holder has to barricade the lease boundary by way of fencing. In this regard, a circular dated June 13, 2023 was issued to all the lease holders so as to furnish compliance to the said condition of the lease deed.
Some quarry owners have given compliance reports with photographs. All the leases will be inspected by the Directorate and if there is any non-compliance the lease will be suspended, he said.
“With regard to illegal quarries the government has already constituted a flying squad under respective taluka Mamlatdars to monitor and take action against such illegalities. The flying squads in different Talukas have found many illegal quarries operating wherein machineries have been seized and FIRs have been filed,” said Sawant.
