VALPOI
The government has started installing protective fencing around illegal laterite stone quarries in Sattari taluka. At the same time, a detailed survey of laterite quarries in the taluka is underway.
Illegal quarrying has been widespread in several panchayat areas of Sattari. In many places, large quantities of laterite stone were excavated and the sites were later abandoned, leaving behind deep pits. During the monsoon, these pits fill with water.
As their depth is hard to judge, there have been incidents of cattle and even people drowning over the past five years. To prevent further accidents, authorities have decided to fence off these quarry pits. Instructions have been issued to the Deputy Collector of Sattari, and fencing has already been completed at two to three sites. Sattari Deputy Collector Laxmikant Kurtikar said the remaining quarries will be fenced soon. After the survey report is submitted to the District Collector, the tender process for further fencing work will begin. Officials believe that fencing the pits will help reduce the risk of accidents.
However, many people have questioned why the government is spending lakhs of rupees on fencing when most of the quarries in Sattari are operating illegally.
Sources claim that around 40 quarries are allegedly running illegally in the taluka. So far, none has been permanently shut down. Although the Mines Department carries out occasional raids, operations reportedly resume within a few days. Several locals have expressed anger, saying the government should take strict action instead of spending public money on fencing. They have demanded that landowners where illegal quarrying is taking place should be held responsible and made to provide safety measures at their own cost. They argue that it is unfair to use public funds when quarry owners are earning lakhs from the business.
