Fatalities surge as quarry safety measures remain only on paper in Prakasam district

Ongole: Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh, one of the state's major granite-producing regions, is witnessing a serious erosion of worker safety, with authorities failing to implement long-established accident-prevention measures even as fatalities rose sharply last year. Despite formal meetings and internal discussions, basic safety interventions in granite quarries remain confined to files, leaving thousands of workers exposed to life-threatening risks. Officials concerned failed to even review existing safety mechanisms. Critical measures such as strengthening quarry security, supplying personal protective equipment (PPE), conducting expert inspections, improving first-aid preparedness, and recognising quarry operators who comply with safety norms were not implemented. This prolonged administrative inaction continued despite multiple fatal accidents that exposed glaring enforcement lapses. Senior officials held a meeting at the granite vocational training centre in Ramatirtham last month to revive the long-discontinued safety week, a structured programme earlier designed to reduce accidents in the granite sector. The meeting was convened following the rising number of deaths, and action plans were reportedly discussed. However, no concrete follow-up steps were taken, and the initiative soon faded from priority, reflecting a recurring pattern of neglect. The year 2025 proved particularly deadly for quarry workers in the combined Prakasam district. In one of the most tragic incidents, 6 workers were buried alive under heavy boulders at a quarry in the Ballikurava area. In another series of accidents at the Galaxy Granite Mines near Cheemakurthy, up to 6 workers lost their lives in separate mishaps. Senior officers who investigated these incidents attributed many of the deaths to negligence by safety department officials responsible for routine quarry inspections, noting that several accidents were preventable. Earlier, the safety week programme provided a comprehensive framework for accident prevention. It began with trade tests for workers at the Ramateertham centre, followed by week-long inspections across quarries led by senior officials from the director general of mines safety (DGMS) and the deputy director from the mines and geology department. Inspection teams examined operational hazards, ensured distribution of safety gear, reinforced first-aid protocols, identified high-risk practices, and issued site-specific recommendations. The programme used to conclude with events that promoted best practices and acknowledged operators adhering to safety norms. With no mandatory periodical safety checks in place, workers now operate heavy machinery, handle explosives, and work near unstable rock faces with minimal protection and limited safety reinforcement. Labourers in granite hubs such as Cheemakurthy and Martur continue to face hazardous conditions daily. The continued absence of structured safety oversight raised serious concerns within the mining sector, where economic activity in granite extraction appears to overshadow enforcement of safety standards. The officials from the Director General of Mines Safety (DGMS) are chiefly responsible for putting proper mechanisms in place. The officials are visiting the major factory sites as part of routine inspection without much focus on safety standards.