Fact-Finding Panel Confirms Massive Illegalities At Challur Sand Quarry
The committee released a report on Sunday, which cited several severe instances of violation of environmental laws. Official negligence led to this situation, it felt: Reports
KARIMNAGAR: A five-member fact-finding committee has confirmed large-scale illegal sand mining and destruction of farmer’s property at the Challur Sand Quarry in Veenavanka mandal of Karimnagar district.
This follows a field visit by the panel members to the quarry site in Ippalapalli village. The panel comprised members of the Human Rights Forum, Environmental Protection Forum and Farmer’s Grievance Redressal Committee.
The committee released a report on Sunday, which cited several severe instances of violation of environmental laws. Official negligence led to this situation, it felt.
“While regulations permit sand extraction up to a maximum depth of two metres, the quarry allottees are digging farther down, as deep as 6 to 7 metres. The mining area has illegally been extended beyond the permitted boundaries of Challur village into the neighbouring Ippalapalli village limits,” the panel report said.
The report highlights a devastating impact on local agriculture. To facilitate sand extraction, the quarry owner allegedly destroyed the irrigation systems of nearly 200 farmers across Ippalapalli, Challur and Manchiriyami villages. Around 30 agricultural wells and motors were demolished or buried and pipelines smashed. As a result, hundreds of acres of crops were now at risk of drying up due to a lack of water, it said.
The committee found fault with the district authority for its failure to monitor the quarry. “Officials ignored the farmer’s pleas and instead prepared a report favouring the quarry owner.
It labelled the threat of using the WALTA Act against farmers who draw water from the river for survival as “unethical and illegal.” The provisions of the law should instead be used against the quarry owner as his actions led to a depletion of the groundwater, the panel report said.
The committee, led by DrS. Thirupathaiah (Human Rights Forum) and environmentalist D Uma Maheshwara demanded that the state government register criminal cases against the quarry owner for destroying farmers’ fields.
It also wanted immediate restoration of the damaged walls of the borewells and pipelines and a thorough investigation into the quarry’s operations and official collusion.
