Kumta: Hundreds of villagers of Hanehalli near Gokarna in Kumta taluk staged a protest on Thursday against stone mining near their village.

Mines and Geology Department officials visited the spot and ordered for stopping of mining activities. The villagers alleged that there are hundreds of families living in the village. Following stone mining and blasting, cracks have developed on most of the houses and residents are suffering from health problems due to dust.

They accused the local MLA of helping industrialist. They said when the owner of a mine requested for NOC from the gram panchayat, the latter passed a resolution not to give permission for mining. But, the owner approached ZP and secured NOC. No elected representative is supporting the villagers, they alleged.

Industrialist G M Naik, owner of the mine, said, he has got permission from all departments and he is taking up mining legally. As the mine is about 2-km distance from the village, it is not harming people, he said.

Mines and Geology Department officer, Muhammed Nasrullah said, he will discuss the problems faced by the villagers with the department commissioner and Revenue Department official and then take action. He imposed a temporary ban on stone mining.