Islamabad (Anantnag) July 24: The district administration here has closed down three unauthorized stone crushers operating in the Mirbazar area of this South Kashmir district.
 The move came after the news story carried by this newspaper about the three illegally operating crushers operating in Bumthan, Mirbazar despite repeated directions from Pollution Control Board (PCB) and Court for their closure.
 "The stone crushers were reportedly operating illegally and had not been given permission by the PCB, so we have closed them down," Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Kifayat Hussain Rizwi told Greater Kashmir. He said no crusher or brick kiln would be allowed to operate without proper permission and full filling requisite norms.
 Pertinently, the Pollution Control Board (PCB) under order no’s 101 dated 25-11-2009, order no 155 dated 3-3-2010 and 141 dated 22-2-2010  under section 25/26 and section 21 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, had ordered closure of three unauthorized stone crushers namely, Shabnum Stone Crusher, Gulshan Stone Crusher and Unique stone crusher all at Bumithan, Mirbazar, but the crushers continued to operate.
 “The stone crushers have been set up and put in operation at Mirbazar unauthorizedly without obtaining the consent from the PCB, warranted under the provisions of law,” the orders read.
 It further stated that the unit holders were served notice calling upon them the reasons of not closing their respective crushers being run without the consent of the board as they sans adequate pollution control devices and pollution control measures that too at objectionable sites.
 “The unit cannot be allowed to operate in the present status and shall amount to permit the operation in violation of laws governing environmental protection,” the orders added.
 The deputy commissioner, Islamabad was directed to immediately close down the unit while as the Director Industries and Commerce was asked to de-register all three units and Chief Engineer, Electric and Maintenance Division PDD was told to snap the electric supply to all these units, but till now the order has not been implemented. 
 Meanwhile, recently the High Court dismissed the petition filed by one of the owners of the stone crusher, Unique Stone Crusher and ordered the district administration to strictly adhere to the order already passed by the PCB.
 “The DC, Anantnag, Chief Engineer Electric and Director Industries and Commerce Department shall ensure strict compliance of court order no 1419/2010 dated February, 22, 2010. Petitioner shall not be permitted to run the unit under the garb of status quo order passed by this court till he gets an appropriate permission from the court,” the court order read.  Locals were also complaining that these stone crushers situated on agricultural and horticultural land had wreaked havoc to the environment besides effecting the crop production.
 “The stone crushers according to them were dotting the Sandran river, thus, polluting it and disturbing its flora and fauna, They said that the dust emanating from these crushers had lead to various respiratory diseases among the villagers as they were located in the residential area.
 The crushers they said had affected the health of the school children as the Government Primary School and Government Middle School, are also located in a close vicinity, and as the crusher sans any pollution control device the dust and the smoke kept on emanating from it. The school children were also unable to concentrate on their studies because of the noise pollution caused by the high decibel sound of the stone crusher, they added.
 Locals have hailed the administration for the step.  “Everybody here has heaved a sigh of relief after the stone crushers were closed,” locals said.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 24 Jul 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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