Quarry Accident Victims and Families Receive Compensation in Yeshwanthpur

On Thursday, the families and victims of a tragic quarry accident received their first compensation cheques in Yeshwanthpur, two weeks after the mishap that claimed seven lives and left two labourers seriously injured.

The distribution ceremony was attended by Yeshwanthpur MLA ST Somashekar, along with representatives from the Karnataka State Stone Crushers and Quarry Owners’ Association.

Shaki Bai, the widow of deceased labourer Ramu Chauhan, was presented with a cheque of Rs 10 lakh by the Director of the Department of Mines and Geology. Raj Pal Singh, one of the two injured victims, was granted Rs 5 lakh. The compensation is being funded entirely by the owners of the quarries where the accident occurred.

Addressing questions on funding sources, the Director of the Department of Mines and Geology explained that the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds could not be utilized for this purpose. The Director stated that there is no provision within the DMF guidelines to compensate individuals killed or injured in quarry accidents. Instead, the department maintained that it remains the sole responsibility of the quarry owners to pay the victims.

D Siddaraju, President of the Karnataka State Stone Crushers and Quarry Owners’ Association, described the incident as unprecedented. He noted that the two quarries involved had been operated for more than two decades without similar incidents. Siddaraju stated that the association is working to identify and locate the next of kin of the remaining five deceased victims to ensure the compensation is delivered to the right people.

Yeshwanthpur MLA ST Somashekar also spoke at the event, promising to lobby the state government to secure additional financial support for the affected families. Government officials confirmed that the process to disburse the remaining compensation is ongoing.