PERCEPTION ON QUARRYING ACTIVITIES AND POST QUARRIED LAND USE ALONG RIVER NDARUGU, KIAMBU COUNTY

Abstract

Post-quarried sites require an informed management system in order to reduce environmental pollution as well as generate economic benefits for the land owners. Ndarugu region of Juja, Kiambu County has experienced long term quarrying for the benefit of contractors. However, the post -quarry sites have largely been neglected creating an environmental scar on the landscape. A survey was undertaken between February 2015 and May 2015 to investigate the perception of quarry land owners on quarrying activities and post quarry land use. The survey was conducted along a transect parallel to the river ridge where quarrying activities are concentrated. The semistructured questionnaire schedule addressed issues of quarrying impact, post quarried land use preference, expected benefits of rehabilitation and limiting factor for rehabilitation. From the study, it was found that majority of quarry owners were small scale farmers (63.2%) who identified crop farming and dairy farming were identified as the most preferred post quarried land use. 89.5% of the respondents revealed that quarries occupied mo re than 25% of their land. 31.6% of the quarried land was abandoned without backfilling, 31.6% of the quarry land was back-filled without levelling, 21.1% still being quarried while 5.3% were backfilled levelled. increase in household income and water pollution were the strongly agreed positive and negative impact of quarrying. increase in income and reducing health and hazard risk associated with quarrying to most perceived benefit of quarry rehabilitation. lack of finance and the quarry rehabilitating firm not undertaking its responsibility were found to be the greatest limiting factors for post quarry land rehabilitation. Quarrying thus was found to impact on the social economy of the community around the study area. A cost effective rehabilitation me thod thus needs to be identified that affordable to the quarry owner and one that will ensure economic gain from the quarried land.