Strict measures to allow only license holders to use explosives for quarrying: Minister Nirani
Bengaluru: Karnataka Mines and Geology Minister Murugesh R Nirani on Tuesday said strict measures will be put in place, so that only license holder will be allowed to use explosives for quarrying or mining, here on.
His statement comes in the backdrop of a quarry blast at Chikkaballapur district this morning, in which six people died. He stressed on the importance of training skilled workers and creation of a mining school to avoid such tragedies.
"To see to that such incidents don't not happen, mining should happen in a scientific way... aimed at providing training to license holders in mining and use of explosives for mining, measures are being taken by the government to start a school of mining," Nirani said.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he said in the coming days those involved in mining will be trained, and strict measures will taken to ensure that only license holders are allowed to use explosives.
"Measures are being taken to maintain strict vigil at check posts regarding transportation of large quantities of explosives from other places and whether they are with license.
Also the quantity of explosives that can be transported for mining is being fixed," he said, adding in this case as per preliminary information the explosives were already brought in.
Six people were killed when the gelatin sticks they were trying to dispose of exploded accidentally at a stone quarry site at a village in Chikkaballapura district early on Tuesday.
The incident comes close on the heels of a similar blast at a quarry site in Shivamogga on January 22, which left six dead. Expressing condolences to the families of victims, Nirani assured all assistance to the kin of the deceased and the injured.
Assuring action against the culprits, he said the government will conduct a thorough probe and take action against those responsible for the blast.
Further stating that this incident has happened despite government taking strict measures after the Shivamogga incident, the Minister said, "we had increased vigil at the check post after what happened there (in Shivamogga), it looks like explosives were brought before that incident."
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Kerala CM Vijayan urges PM Modi to withdraw FCRA amendment provisions
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has expressed concerns over certain provisions in the proposed FCRA Bill and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to withdraw them.
In a letter to Modi, Vijayan said the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 25, has sparked concern among various sections of society, particularly minority communities.
A copy of the letter, sent on Sunday, was shared on his Facebook page on Monday.
In the letter, Vijayan noted that a perusal of the bill’s clauses indicates that powers have been granted to authorities to take over assets even for technical omissions.
“The apprehension is that granting such sweeping powers to authorities could lead to arbitrary exercise, and such concerns cannot be dismissed as baseless,” he said.
The chief minister pointed out that the existing law already provides sufficient powers to deal with misuse by entities permitted to receive foreign contributions.
He further said the amendment proposes enabling the takeover of assets, including places of worship and charitable organisations, even in cases involving technical issues such as violations of time limits.
Vijayan warned that the provisions could adversely affect institutions engaged in selfless service in areas such as education, healthcare, and the welfare of the poor and marginalised, even in the absence of significant lapses.
Stating that the issue has triggered concerns among religious groups and minority communities, the CM urged the prime minister to intervene in the matter at the earliest.
He also urged the PM to take steps to withdraw the provisions related to the takeover of assets in the amendment bill, noting that the existing Act has adequate safeguards to address violations.
The chief minister wrote to Modi at a time when reports about the proposed provisions in the FCRA Bill had triggered widespread reactions among political parties and various church denominations in poll-bound Kerala.
