Pic in background: A stone quarry at Kajjari in Ranebennur taluk
Of the 68 contractors licensed to operate quarries and crushers across Haveri, Byadgi, Ranebennur, Shiggaon and Hanagal taluks, only 22 were found to have adhered to conditions on approved area and permitted quantity. The remaining 46 include quarry operators, with officials naming district minister Rudrappa Lamani among the penalised, along with relatives of Byadgi MLA Basavaraj Shivannavar and former BJP MLA VR Ballari. “A royalty fine of Rs 70 per tonne has been imposed for extracting more stone than the permitted limit. For stone quarried by crossing the licensed area boundary and encroaching upon adjoining land, a penalty of Rs 140 per tonne, double the rate, has been levied,” department sources said.
Quarry and crusher unit owners have rejected the penalties as unscientific, and announced an indefinite strike from Friday, alleging that fines were imposed suddenly, despite royalty payments and licensed operations.
Officials said the survey recorded quarry boundaries, quantities extracted and instances of mining beyond sanctioned limits. Association leader Basavaraj Belavadi demanded immediate abolition of the OTS system and warned that stopping production of jelly, M-sand and stone products will threaten workers’ livelihoods statewide. “Authorities of the department have been auditing our quarry every year and have not shown violations, but now they have issued notice. I am ready to pay a penalty, but authorities must show my quarry violations first. Rudrappa Lamani, Haveri district minister