18.04 cr penalty imposed on 9 quarries

Srikakulam: Mines and geology Srikakulam division assistant geologist R Pratap Reddy imposed Rs 18.04 crore penalty on nine stone and metal quarries and crushers for violating the mining rules. The penalty was imposed from November 2017 to May 2018.

Mining activity was going on at these quarries without getting proper permissions from the mines department and even after getting permission, they are violating the payment rules.

As per the rule, Rs 75 is the royalty for each cubic metre of road metal and three per cent of the royalty should be paid as district mineral fund (DMF).

As per information provided by the mines assistant geologist R Pratap Reddy, Rs 4.05 crore penalty was imposed on Sriramulu Naidu quarry, Rs 37 lakh imposed on Maruthi Stone Crushers, Rs 12 lakh on Sridevi Stone Crushers, Rs 15 lakh on Yerrannaidu quarry, all the four located in Ponduru mandal.

Rs 1.54 crore penalty was imposed on Venkata Naidu quarry in Burja mandal, Rs 2.37 crore on Vindyavasini quarry, Rs 1.50 crore was imposed on Siddhartha quarry, both are situated in Saravakota mandal. Vamsadara Contract Companies, Sri Sailaxmi Constructions and Rutwik Projects Limited also violated the rules. Rs 7.29 crore penalty was imposed on Sri Sailaxmi Constructions and Rs 2.36 crore on Rutwik Projects Limited.

“Mining rules are same for private and government works, both private and government departments have to follow the rules and pay royalty and district mineral fund”, Mines AG R Pratap Reddy explained.