Evaluation of socio-economic impacts of stone quarrying :

Abstract

Quarrying, the open or surface excavation of rock from its natural state to be used for various purposes is among the primary causes and sources of environmental degradation. This is mainly due to the unregulated operations of the commercial activities by few unscrupulous entities at the cost of our precious and irreversible ecosystems and natural resources in the absence of proper monitoring and implementation of relevant laws by the concerned regulatory agencies. Stone quarrying is a huge supporter of local economic development as using the extracted material enhances trade and development. However, quarrying a short-term activity with long term effects, comes along with the promises of wealth and jobs but it brings high environmental costs. The general objective of the study was to generate information on current socio economic impacts of activities associated with stone quarrying on the livelihoods and health of the communities in Wakiso District. The study unearthed the implications of the impacts that stone quarrying. has on social, economic, physical & political spheres of environment in Kakiri, Wakiso District. The study relied on information collected qualitatively through individual and group interviews coupled with personal observations in addition to documented data from published and unpublished articles. Findings reveal that the activity in the area has led to a small scale ecological debt as the extraction of the stone resource is destroying. peoples' ability to survive and the trade of this resource is also ecologically unbalanced; as these natural goads are exploited and traded without taking responsibility for the social, cultural and environmental damage to the community from which the resource is exploited. Therefore, adoption of three circle approach; Technology-Economics-Environment should be emphasized for sustainable stone quarrying. Here the developers should improve on the level of technology used in blasting so as to increase the economic gains as well as conserving the environment. Keywords: Stone quarrying, Environment, Implications,