SANGUEM
Residents of Uguem-Sanguem have complained about basalt quarries in the village, claiming that the quarrying operations have endangered houses and temples in the locality.
In a memorandum submitted to Sanguem Deputy Collector Sagar B Gaude and Sanguem Mamlatdar Manoj Korgaonkar on Monday, the locals alleged that all five quarries in the village are illegal as their licenses issued by the Department of Mines and Geology had expired.
The memorandum further states that the quarries are located barely 150 metres from their residential houses and the frequent blasting operations have caused cracks to the walls of their residential houses and temples in the locality.
The villagers have also alleged substantial damage being caused to the serene beauty in the village and to the riverbank, which is barely around 50 metres from the basalt quarries.
“Quarry operators do not follow the requisite norms and prescribed procedure while undertaking blasting operations,” claimed panchayat member Sanjay Parwar.
“Loud blasting operations are also being carried at odd hours,” he added.
Another panchayat member, Marcus Pereira, said big boulders from quarry sites fall on residential houses.
“This fact was brought to the notice of authorities concerned on several occasions, but to no avail.”
The villagers have now demanded an immediate halt to quarry operations in the village.
