Illegal quarrying becomes death trap for minor boys

Warangal: A pall of gloom has descended on Deshaipet and Kashibugga in Warangal on Thursday as the final rites of four minor boys, who drowned in Edulakunta on Wednesday, were performed.It might be noted that the boys - Mohammed Ramzan (16), Mohamed Nadeem (16) and Mohammed Rasul (13) of Deshaipet and Mohammed Yakub Pasha (13) of Kashibugga in Warangal - drowned in the waterbody when their families went for ‘Vana Bhojanam’ at Kothapet area on the outskirts of the city.

The bodies were handed over to the family members on Thursday after post-mortem at MGM Hospital mortuary. The neighbours, family members and friends have attended the last rites and moved at the tragedy that struck the bereaved families who have a poor financial background. Ramzan’s mother Md Shameem Sultana, a widow, who lost her husband six years ago, was inconsolable at the loss of her son. The students and staff of Government High School at Sundaraiah Nagar where Ramzan, Nadeem and Rasul studied visited their families and offered condolences.

Meanwhile, the residents of Kothapet have complained that illegal quarrying of soil from Edulakunta, a small tank spread on 18 acres land belonging private persons was the reason behind the drowning of the boys. During last summer some contractors have excavated soil illegally and it has left the waterbody with uneven depths and one could not gauge the depth of water, pointed city Congress leader Rajanala Srihari.

The residents made efforts to develop the tank under Mission Kakatiya but the authorities denied taking it up under the programme as it was located on disputed land. The officials must develop the tank and put up sign boards cautioning about the danger of drowning, he demanded. Wardhannapet MLA A Ramesh visited the affected families and promised financial assistance from the State government.