Metro India News | AMARAVATI

Farmers from Paritala village in Kanchikacherla Mandal of NTR district staged a protest on Thursday, voicing strong opposition to the unchecked pollution caused by nearby quarries and crushers. Holding placards and staging a unique demonstration near the quarry sites, the farmers demanded immediate action from the authorities to protect their livelihoods.

The protest centered around growing concerns that dust emissions from over 30 crushers operating in the area are severely impacting crop yields. According to the farmers, the fine dust particles released by road metal, gravel, and stone crushing operations in Survey No. 801—spanning approximately 1,300 acres of agricultural land—are settling on the crops, rendering them unfit for market sale.

“We are facing crop losses running into lakhs of rupees. Cotton and chili crops are failing, and no one is willing to buy produce covered in quarry dust,” said Veerayya, a protesting farmer. The farmers further alleged that quarry operators are flouting environmental and operational norms. “The quarry owners are operating at will, violating regulations and causing irreversible damage to our farmland,” agitated farmers said.

Adding to their woes, farmers claimed that irrigation canals feeding their fields have been clogged with debris and stones from the quarry operations, cutting off their water supply. “Without water and with constant dust, we are being forced to watch our fields turn barren,” a farmer lamented. They urged district officials to take immediate corrective action. “We request the government to intervene, enforce quarrying guidelines, and safeguard our crops and livelihoods before it is too late,” the farmers demanded.