3 tribals dead during precious stone-quarrying

VISAKHAPATNAM: Three tribal people died, 10 were injured and two were found missing when boulders fell on them during  illegal quarrying for semi-precious stones in the Agency area on Wednesday.A group of 50 tribal and non-tribal workers have been digging a hill at Singanapalle village in GK Veedhi mandal for the past three days. In the wee hours of Wednesday, when a group of 15 was at work, boulders fell on them. Three workers were buried alive under the debris while 10 escaped with injuries.The deceased were identified as Ch Balaiah V Sankara Rao and S Balanna _ all belonging to GK Veedhi mandal. The two missing persons have not been found till latest reports came in.ITDA and revenue officials reached Chintapalle from Paderu and are undertaking rescue and relief operations. As it is illegal quarrying, locals are reluctant to help official rescue operations. Assistant superintendent of police, Chintapalle, Gopinath Jetty confirmed the death of three and the missing of two tribals.Quality semi-precious stones are available in Chintapalle and Golugonda mandals but due to lack of  coordination between the forest and mining departments, the government is not taking steps to auction the mines or carry out mining on its own.For the last 15-years businessmen from Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata have been coming here and encouraging illegal mining. Whenever accidents occurred, officials conduct occasional raids and make arrests but that is not deterring the illegal operators.