Residents of Daba Town, Guizhou Complain About Close-Range Blasting at Sand Quarry: Flying Rocks Fall on Village Like "Rain"
On May 25, residents in Daba Town, Guizhou reported that a local sand and gravel quarry had long been conducting blasting operations at a location less than 200 meters away from residential areas, raising concerns among surrounding villagers about their personal safety.
According to information circulating online and descriptions by residents, every time a blast occurs, a large number of gravel fragments fly toward the village area, creating a scene resembling "rain." Some villagers stated that after a blast occurs, they can only cover their heads and duck quickly to avoid being hit by flying stones.
Currently, publicly circulating information mainly comes from residents' self-recorded videos and online whistleblowing. No public response has been seen yet from local government departments or the sand quarry involved. There is also no official statement yet regarding the actual distance between the sand quarry and the residential area, the blasting approval status, and whether it complies with safety regulations.
In China, there have been multiple instances where mines, quarries, and sand pits operating close to residential areas have sparked controversies. Issues commonly of concern to residents include blasting flyrock, house vibrations, noise, dust pollution, and long-term safety risks. According to China's current regulations on mine safety production, blasting operations should establish warning perimeters and take measures to prevent flyrock from injuring people. However, in some grassroots areas, due to local finances, resource development interests, and regulatory enforcement issues, similar disputes have persisted for a long time.
Some commentators believe that such incidents reflect an imbalance between resource development and resident safety in certain localities, and also expose the problem of insufficient transparency in grassroots regulation. However, it is currently impossible to confirm whether the sand quarry in question engaged in illegal operations, and the relevant situation still awaits further investigation.