Wounds of Granite Quarries in Kanakpura Taluka of Karnataka State, India. Mirage of Rehabilitation and Restoration-A Case Study

Abstract

Uday Veer Singh I.F.S (R)

Based on complaints of large-scale illegal quarrying in forest lands; encroachments in Govt lands and inaction of Govt machinery, State Govt issued an order on 27.4.2006 forming a team of officers under the leadership of the Author of this article to survey and investigate all quarries in Kanakpura taluka and also in Bangalore Rural district and report to Govt for further action. Accordingly, 484 granted quarries and other illegal quarries in 63 villages were surveyed / investigated and a report was submitted by the Author on 26.6.2006 for further action. Survey sketches were prepared, photos were taken and locations were identified by taking longitudes and latitudes of all quarries. After the survey, some Writ petitions were filed and Hon’ble high Court issued directions to bring in law to Rehabilitate the Quarries.

Accordingly, State Govt inserted some Rules in the Karnataka Minor Minerals Rules 1994 in 2013. During the survey it was revealed that Areas granted for quarries by the mines department was 2493.29 Acres, areas located in forest lands was 471.19 Acres, encroachments of forest lands 137.24 Acres and encroachments in all types of land 807.23 Acres. State /quarry owners have not taken any step even after lapses of two decades to restore the ecosystems destroyed, agriculture fields ruined. Rehabilitation of granite quarries is a very complex and difficult task because of the large-scale generation of granite waste, small size leased areas, located in rural areas and non-weathering nature of granite. There is further need of refinement of laws and rehabilitation planning. Successful rehabilitation often centres on establishing local flora to regenerate the original ecosystems or at least near to it. Large number of photos are placed in the article to show the seriousness of the destruction happened.

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