Geographical analysis

Abstract

The natural environmental factors including the rocky hill ranges have made several benefits. Mean while extraction of rocks through quarrying and crushing process have economical importance. This process is also a type of mining supplies’ distinct type of construction materials with different categories and shapes. This chain of process releases a lot of harmful materials causing several negative effects on the surrounding environment, human life and activities, especially crushing units giving rise to the worst situation. These activities are concentrated in the district as several clusters. The present study as a cluster of sites lies between Arkavathi River in the west and Vrishabhavathi River in the east is very close to Ramadevara Betta vulture sanctuary. I can say this cluster is considered as core complex of stone quarries and crushing sites in the district. After my observation of quarry activates in the study area I can say with pain feeling ‘the nature is looting’ because the people here are scooping out the earth like those who have entered the tenacity to exploit quarry products mercilessly. The consequences of these activities, entire study area looking like barren land with unshaped landforms, dusty cover vegetation and people are suffering by various health issues and the livelihood activities becoming a standstill. In the meantime, gruff noise and microscopic rocky dust resulted dusty and noisy environment is the landmark here. The quarry activity created several huge hallows containing with radius of several meters and many feet depth without any fencing around it. These are impossible to landfills; they may lead to hazards if they leave them empty.

Therefore, this research is an attempt to evaluate the effects of stone quarrying activities and suggest possible control measures to minimize the effects because this activity is required for development.