Karnataka’s Department of Mines and Geology has issued a notice seeking approximately ₹3 crore from state Sugar and Textile Minister Rudrappa Lamani over alleged violations of quarrying licence conditions at Hunasikatti near Ranebennur in Haveri district, according to a report by Prajavani.
The department reportedly found that more stone had been extracted and transported from the quarry than permitted under the licence. Officials have allowed Lamani six months to pay the amount, with payment permitted in three instalments. The notice follows an inspection and evidence-gathering exercise by department officials.
Lamani had obtained a quarrying licence in his own name from the Department of Mines and Geology several years ago and has been operating the quarry at the site, the report said. The minister, who is also Haveri district in-charge minister, was not available for comment when Prajavani sought a response to the notice.
The department’s action also covers two relatives of Byadgi MLA Basavaraj Shivannavar. Notices have reportedly been issued to his son, Pulkeshi, and brother, Parameshwarappa Shivannavar, who hold licences to operate a stone quarry and crusher. Each has allegedly been assessed a penalty of approximately ₹50 lakh for violating licence conditions.
According to departmental sources cited by Prajavani, the enforcement action was based partly on a drone survey carried out through the Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Centre, or KSRSAC. The survey reportedly captured images indicating additional stone extraction and transportation, as well as mining activity extending into adjoining land. The department used this information to prepare a list of contractors suspected of violating mining rules and issued notices to them.
The reported enforcement action has wider implications for the supply chain that connects quarries with construction sites. Stone, aggregate, crushed material and manufactured sand are used in roads, buildings and other infrastructure projects. Any disruption in quarrying, crushing or transport can affect material availability and the operations of workers and contractors who depend on the sector.
The Haveri district Stone Quarry and Crusher Owners’ Association has challenged the penalties, calling them unscientific. Association president Basavaraj B. Belawadi said 53 quarry and crusher contractors in the district had been penalised and announced a shutdown of operations from September 18. The association is also demanding the immediate withdrawal of the One-Time Settlement system.
Belawadi said operators had been paying royalty and running their quarries and crushers according to licence conditions. He warned that the proposed shutdown would halt the production and transport of aggregates, manufactured sand and other stone products. He also said workers dependent on quarry and crusher operations could lose their livelihoods during the stoppage.
The department’s notices and the association’s planned shutdown reflect a conflict between enforcement based on remote-sensing evidence and industry claims that penalties have been imposed without a sound assessment. The reported notices give the affected operators six months, including an instalment option, to respond through payment. Further developments will depend on the contractors’ responses and the department’s action on the alleged violations.
