ILLEGAL QUARRYING

The Karnataka high court has directed the Union and Karnataka governments to take action against two persons who have been illegally quarrying within the 'safe zone' of Bannerghatta national Park near Bangalore. The court also declared that the local self-governments had no authority to issue licences or lease-hold rights to conduct quarrying within their jurisdictions. The division bench declared that only the director of the mines and geology department was competent to issue licence or leasehold rights to conduct quarrying. Both persons had not obtained licences from the mines department. The petition was based on two Deccan Herald reports of 1995.