The Hindu : Karnataka News : Blasting gives sleepless nights to many villagers

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Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Blasting gives sleepless nights to many villagers

Vishwa Kundapura

It has created an earthquake-like situation, say some

WHO IS TO BLAME?: A crack has appeared on the wall of a house at Mallasandra village in Kolar district.

KOLAR: Living under fearful atmosphere due to blasting of rocks by stone-quarry owners, residents of many villages in the jurisdiction of Narasapur hobli of Kolar taluk are gearing up to wage a battle against the menace. They are also raising their voice against the mushrooming of stone-crushers in the region.

Blasting of rocks on a large scale has created a situation akin to earthquake. Due to tremors and the shaking of earth following unmindful explosions, almost every house in these villages have developed cracks creating fear among its occupants. Splinters of quarry stones and dust emanating from crushers are rendering a large area of land uncultivable.

Sericulture and dairying activities too have been hit due to blasting of rocks. The process is adversely affecting the environment and ecological balance causing grave concern among villagers.

Mallasandra, KB Hosahalli, Byrasandra, Uddapanahalli, Ramasandra, Jodikrishnapura, Dinnehonahalli Kurki, Belloor and Chikkasandra are some of the villages hit by the alleged illegal blasting activities by quarry owners in the region.

While many families in these areas live under the threat that their houses may collapse, many people have left their buildings vacant fearing the worst to happen.

Residents of several villages, predominantly depending on farming and dairying activities, have expressed fear and anguish. Houses, be it RCC buildings or traditional stone slab constructions, have suffered damage. Not a single house has been left without a crack either in the wall, roof or floor.

The building of the Milk Producers’ Cooperative Society in Mallasandra village is also damaged.

“It is leaking when it rains owing to cracks in the roof. Walls of the house have also developed cracks. Despite frequent repairs, we are facing the problem since three or four years,” Sriramappa of Mallasandra village said. Rajappa, a farmer who constructed a house at a cost of Rs. 5 lakh, did not even perform the housewarming ceremony as cracks have developed in the walls. The house is vacant.

Powerful blasts

People in many villages have had to spend sleepless nights as powerful blasts take place during night. It is almost an earthquake-like situation people have to experience during night. From 8 p.m. to midnight, villagers feel the intensity of the blasts as big boulders are broken to pieces with explosives. Also, as the explosion takes place about 50 feet below the surface of the earth, the shaking of the earth is intense.

Coupled with the deafening sound, people experience tremors every night.

Radhamma of Byrasandra village said: “Under the impact of the shaking of the earth, utensils and other material in the house fall down regularly.”

“Guests who pay a visit once in a while wonder how we live in such circumstances,” Radhamma told The Hindu.

The process of blasting is reportedly being taken up mainly to meet the demand of crushers. They, in turn, want to meet the requirements of the construction industry in and around Bangalore. Stone-crushers have come up on the roadside along National Highway 4, causing health hazard to the villagers residing in the vicinity.

The rule stipulating that such units should be established at a minimum distance of 200 metres from national highways has been flouted and the units are also not following the norms against dust and environment pollution.

Nexus

“People’s representatives, the district administration and the police are to be held responsible for the situation,” says Holur Shankar, taluk president of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS). Illegal mining activities are going on unabated in the region due to rampant corruption.

“When the woes of villagers were brought to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner, he denied that permission was granted for blasting. This fact clearly shows that blasting of rocks is an unlawful activity and the authorities should take proper steps against it,” he said.

A jatha will be organised on Wednesday. It will be taken out from Ramasandra Gate to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kolar.

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