Quarry owners urged to take up ‘responsible mining’

COIMBATORE Quarry owners should take up ‘responsible mining’, said K. Deenabandu, chairman of State-

Quarry owners should take up ‘responsible mining’, said K. Deenabandu, chairman of State-level Expert Appraisal Committee, here on Saturday.

At the International Mining and Mines Safety Expo-Symposium, organised by Stone Quarry, Crusher and Lorry Owners’ Association and Mining Engineers Association of India, he said the quarry owners should take measures to minimise environmental degradation due to quarrying. They should understand and adopt the existing legal procedures that would ensure “sustainable development”.

Prabhat Kumar, Director General of Mines Safety, who spoke at the inaugural of the meeting on Thursday, said all mining stakeholders had an opportunity to acquire and give back to society through the three-day international seminar. The mining sector was lagging in technology. Some mines had advanced technology while some had very low level of technology. This gap should reduce. He urged the industry to work jointly with the government, deliberate the issues they faced and give suggestions to address the problems encountered by all the stakeholders.

Speaking at the conference on Friday, J. Jayakanthan, Commissioner of Geology and Mining, who inaugurated the expo, said the mining sector was essential for construction and infrastructure. During the last five years, several quarries were closed in the State. The government was exploring measures to reopen these to support economic growth and generation of jobs. Earlier, the annual revenue was ₹1,000 crore and in the current year, revenue for the government from the mining sector was ₹1,600 crore.

The expo had 148 stalls and concluded on Sunday. K. Chinnaswamy, State president of the Stone Quarry, Crusher and Lorry Owner’s Association and M-Sand Manufacturers Association, said the participants at the expo had suggested that the event was held annually.