Karnataka Minister for Housing and Infrastructure Development V Somanna, who is also district in-charge minister for Chamarajanagar, announced on Saturday, March 5, that there will be no mining activity in the district for one month. The announcement came after the collapse of the White Stone Hill at the Gummakallu hill quarry, where several workers are feared trapped. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Somanna said that the White Stone Hill has been permanently shut, and the licence issued for mining purposes in this area has been withdrawn.
An FIR has been lodged against Mahendrappa, the land owner, Hakeem, who leased it for mining, and Naveed, quarry manager, in connection with the incident. The legality of their deal is being verified, and a special team is working to nab them, Somanna said. So far, the body of a worker named Sarfaraz has been recovered from under the boulders.
Several labourers from West Bengal are feared trapped in the cave near Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar district. It collapsed on Friday while the miners were working inside, suspectedly due to multiple landslides. As a result, big boulders of white stone rolled down the hill and collided with the tipper trucks and other vehicles, causing them to overturn. Several workers present there are feared to have been crushed under the boulders.
The National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and State Fire Force and Emergency Services personnel are carrying out rescue and search operations in the area. About 75 personnel have been pressed into service. So far, they have been able to recover the body of a worker named Sarfaraz from under the boulders.
Somanna, who went to the spot with local BJP MLA Niranjankumar, faced stiff resistance from the residents of the village, who demanded that mining in the surrounding areas of the village be stopped as it impacts the health of people and children's education.
Somanna said that a one-month time period has been provided for the district authorities to detect and categorise legal and illegal mining centres in the district. The team, headed by District Commissioner Charulatha Somal, is expected to visit all the mining centres in the district and shut down the ones operating illegally.