Jajpur/Jenapur: Mushrooming of illegal crusher units with hazardous working conditions has resulted in casualties among labourers in Jajpur district, a report said.
The death of a labourer at an illegal crusher unit at Baghua Square adjoining National Highway-53, Friday is a case in this point. Jenapur police arrested Pranaya Kumar Samal alias Tutu, the owner of Samal Crusher in this connection and produced him in court, Saturday.
However, the arrest has failed to assuage miseries of scores of labourers working in similar hazardous conditions in other units.
It is alleged that the workers work in hazardous conditions risking their lives for a pittance without any safety gear or equipment.
Stone quarrying and crushing units have a considerable impact on environment by polluting air, water and land and biological resources as well as socio-economic settings of the local population.
The fine particulate matters generated during various quarrying and crushing operations result in considerable health hazards to the workers as well as the surrounding population, particularly by way of causing various respiratory diseases.
The workers are directly exposed to a large concentration of dust, noise and also prone to accidents. Due to the dust, the people working there as well as those in nearby areas suffer from various eye, skin diseases, apart from fever, silicosis, dyspnea and blood pressure.
The crusher owners neither follow any rules and regulations for the safety of the workers nor for keeping the environment clean. Locals had blamed the district administration for the death of the labourer. They claimed that the labourer died after the crusher unit which had been sealed earlier reopened and resumed work, Friday.
Reports said that a number of crusher units are operating along the National Highway-53 in between the Dak Bungalow square and Chadheidhara Square of the highway.
These crusher units are at Ranibandh, Bhadanga, Aruha, Pakhar, Barada, Baulamala and Baghua mouzas adjoining the highway.
The district administration has carried out several raids on these crusher units and sealed a number of them but that has failed to make the crusher units a better work place adhering to safety norms.
Earlier, the district administration had issued warning notices against the illegal crusher units under Darpan, Dharmasala and Danagadi tehsils, June 22, 2015.
The Orissa High Court (WPC-9101/2009) and National Human Rights Commission (134-18/5/0708/OC) hearing on cases also directed for closure of all illegal crusher units in the district.
Accordingly, the district administration conducted raids and sealed 147 crusher units and snapped their power supply in 2016.
The action sparked resentment among penalised crusher owners as the district administration during raid spared some mega crusher units despite illegalities.
These units are Aruni, RKD, Simplex, Madhav, Garuda, ARSS, Nagarjuna, Rocksand, Joda, Tapti,Godgaon, Konark, Jain and Amit South East. Later, keeping in mind the loss of livelihood of labourers, it decided to form clusters and allow the sealed the units to resume operation.
Accordingly, land was provided for establishment of crusher units in clusters.
As per rule, no educational institutions, human habitat, hospitals and offices should be there within 500-metre periphery of the crusher units and not within 200 metres from the highway.
However, five years have passed since then, but the decision is yet to be implemented. It is alleged that some unscrupulous revenue and administrative officials are hand in gloves with the illegal crusher units.
An advocate Udayanath Sahu said hundreds of crusher units are functioning without environmental clearance for which there is an urgent need to close them as it will affect the life and livelihood of people in the district.
When contacted, Dharmasala tehsildar Devi Prasanna Mohanty said legal action will be taken against the illegal crusher units not operating on the basis of guidelines.
PNN
