Karnataka quarry tragedy: Workers, residents allege safety lapses, buffer norm violations

Workers at the Bengaluru South quarry where seven labourers died Thursday had been working without adequate safety measures and in an area where buffer norms may have been violated, according to officials, survivors, and residents.

Parashurama, an earth mover operator who witnessed the incident, said that there was no chance for anyone to escape as everything happened in a matter of a few seconds. “I was about 15-20 feet away from the accident spot. I was transporting crushed stones from the site when I heard a loud sound. By the time I turned around, everything was over. There were about 15 people at work at that point of time,” he said.

Around 7 am on Thursday, a massive boulder came crashing down on the workers of a quarry belonging to Udayashankar from a height of 40 feet while they were engaged in routine quarrying operations at Hulukenahalli village in Tavarekere Hobli, 60 km from Bengaluru. All the labourers, including six migrants, had died on the spot. The accident occurred when one batch of workers had just gone to rest, and another had begun work.

A large number of labourers at the quarry are migrants from Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, many of whom live near the site with their families despite the hazardous conditions. Workers said they are paid around Rs 1,000 a day.

What residents say

Gangaiah, a resident of Huluvenahalli, alleged that villagers have long been affected by unsafe blasting practices. “There is total lawlessness here. Blasting is carried out without adequate safety measures. Many houses have been damaged, but nobody pays any heed. We live in constant fear that flying stones will hit our tiled-roof houses,” he said.

Gangaiah alleged that while the quarry may have had the necessary licence, several key safety norms were routinely ignored. “A licence alone is not enough. The mandatory buffer zone, precautions before blasting, worker safety and several other safeguards have been neglected,” he said.

Residents pointed to a series of previous incidents to highlight the risks posed by quarrying in the area. In January, a leopard with her three unborn cubs was killed in the Basavanapura forest area of the Kaggalipura range after a stray boulder was dislodged by a massive blast from a nearby stone quarry.

‘There is money power’: Local MLA

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S T Somashekar, the local MLA, said that although there have been incidents of animal deaths and damage to houses due to unsafe stone quarrying, this is the first time such a huge number of deaths have taken place. “There is money power and a powerful lobby, and even I did not get the reports I had sought in the previous incidents. A First Information Report (FIR) has to be registered against Mines and Geology Department officials, Forest Department officials, Pollution Control Board and local police for failing to act despite warnings,” he said.

According to a local officer, the rock fell from Basaveswara stone quarry, owned by Anandaswamy, to the adjoining SR Udayashankar’s stone quarry, located at a lower level. “There has to be a buffer zone between the two quarries. It is a safe strip of land between an active mining site and nearby homes, roads, or forests. In this case, the contractor and owner allegedly have forced them to work in the same area,” the officer added.

‘No safety measures taken’

Gopikrishnan, a 25-year-old labourer at the Udayashankar quarry for five years, alleged that quarry operators were aware of the risks but they had not taken any safety measures. “Also, the recent rainfall in the area had affected the soil stiffness, which made the boulder fall easily,” he said in his complaint to the police.

55 quarries temporarily shut

Rangappa S, Director of the Department of Mines and Geology, also admitted that the casualties occurred as there were no safety measures in place. “We have temporarily shut down all 55 quarries. Although the quarry owners possess valid government licences, operations will resume only after they comply with the prescribed safety measures,” he said.

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He added that the last official inspection of the quarry site was carried out 15 days ago, during which authorities had directed the operators to strengthen safety and security measures.

The police have arrested D Anandaswamy and Udayashankar, along with Pandu, a supervisor at Anandaswamy’s quarry, and Tirupathi, and have booked a case for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, negligent act endangering human life, mischief and joint criminal liability.

CM to meet mining, geology officials

Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar visited the injured at the Rajarajeshwari Medical College and Hospital on Thursday evening. He said, “I will call for a meeting with the mining and geology officials. The quarries have to follow the guidelines. We will ensure such incidents don’t repeat. I will get the reports about the incidents and will take action appropriately,” he added.