BEIRUT: The numerous unregulated sand and rock quarries dotting Lebanon's picturesque landscape make up the single largest local source of income for many political parties, according to Habib Maalouf, head of the Lebanese Environmental Party. Many politicians themselves own quarries, he says.

Maalouf told The Daily Star that, aside from the inestimable environmental damage that results from quarry activity, the Treasury loses around $500,000 of potential revenue per day due to a lack of licensing and regulation of the mining sector, with all of the earnings from mining going into private pockets.

Thus, unlicensed and unregulated work continues unabated as politicians turn a blind eye.

Maalouf said each rock or sand quarry makes an estimated $80,000 per day.

"They continue to make astronomical profits as a result of the lack of regulation and organization, which has denied the Treasury billions of dollars of potential revenue," he added.

The party's estimates put the amount of lost revenue over the last 15 years at $2.5 billion.

A Cabinet decision issued on January 4 extended a six-month grace period to quarry owners, allowing them to continue mining until June 30.

A statement issued by the Environment Party Thursday called for an investigation into the quarry file due to the Environment Ministry's failure to regulate the sector, and in view of the "historic" accusations of complicity leveled against the [ministry's] administration.

Repeated attempts to contact Environment Ministry officials were unsuccessful. 

The Environment Party statement said the Cabinet had once more failed to specify where quarries were forbidden and where they were permitted, lamenting "another lost opportunity" to regulate the sector.