Mine blasts triggering panic among villagers of Athkur

​Tandur: Blasts in nearby quarry are triggering panic among the villagers of Athkur, Gotlapalli in Peddemul mandal. Back to back explosions are shaking homes, breaking windows, cracking floors and even wounding several people in the nearby villagers. It is alleged that a person died recently after sustained injuries due to the blasts.

The quarrying at the outskirts of Athkur village has become a nightmare for the people living in the surrounding area. Villagers allege that the quarrying has been carried out day and night. They express doubt that the miners had proper permissions to take up quarrying.

To destroy huge hillocks, they miners have been using hi intensity explosives, which reverberate through floors, rattle windows and scramble their brains. The residents of Thanda say that the blasts sound like a bomb detonating and feel like an earthquake. It makes dogs howl and babies cry. They lament that the explosions cause cracks on the walls of their houses and are living with fear all the time.

While narrating their horrible experience, Veerender, a resident of Thanda said that explosions from the quarry are sending tremors through their houses and also the bodies of every person in it. We are living in fear expecting the explosions at any time, he said.

Lakshman, who is also a resident of the Thanda said stones are falling in the agriculture fields due the blasts. “We fear that the stones may hit while we are busy in work”, he said. Jammabai of the same Thanda also feels the blasts are scary. “They are unsettling. They disrupt our daily activity. The blasts damage goods in our houses. Even our ground water is affected. Despite repeated pleas, no official seemed to be bothered,” she lamented.

Recently, a person named Krishna from Polapalli village of Nalgonda district was killed while erecting an electric poll for the proposed Solar Plant near Gotlapalli. The accident was occurred due to the blast conducted for erecting the poll. A piece of stone struck the victim, which made him to fell on live wire and electrocuted. Police registered a case against the persons who conducted the blast.

“The blast occurred at Solar Plant was illegal. We registered a case as per Explosives Act and seized the vehicle. Possessing explosives is also a crime. We look into the blasting activity which is taking place near Atkur. We take stringent action if there is any irregularity,” said Upender, Circle Inspector, Tandur Rural. Residents of the villages around the quarry request the authorities to take appropriate action.