Jajpur: The district administration had sealed some of the illegal stone crushing units in Dharmasala and Darpan tehsils in Jajpur in February. Hardly have a few days gone, the crusher units are back into operations, a report said.
According to the report, the crusher units allegedly violated environment protection norms and location criteria. They have no documents conforming to rules.
A number of such stone crushing units have been operating along NH-53 from Chandikhole Inspection bungalow to Chadeidhara. They are mostly run at Ranibandh, Bhadanga, Aruha, Padkhara, Barada and Baulamala.
In the past, the district administration had carried out raids on these crusher units in the past and seized them. But they are back in operation after a few days.
It was June 20, 2015 when there was a notification for stern action against the stone crushing units in Darpan, Dharmasla and Danagadi tehsils. As per a directive of the High Court linked to the case (WPC9101/2009) and the directive of the National Human Rights Commission linked to the case (134-18/5/0708), it was decided to close all these stone crushing units. Acting on the directive of the HC and NHRC, 147, these units were sealed while electricity connections to them were snapped.
But mega crushing units such as Aruni, RKD, Simplex, Madhab, Garuda, ARSS, Nagarjun, Rocksand, Joda, Tapti, Godagaon, Konark, Jain, Amit and South East had been spared. The owners of these sealed unit expressed their displeasure over it.
As thousands of people depend on these units, the district administration assured them to consider relocating these units at suitable places. The process to identify land for rehab of these units has been initiated.
As per the sitting criteria, no stone crushing units will be allowed to operate within 500 meters from an educational institution, human settlements, health centres and offices. Besides, no stone crushers will be set up within 200-meter distance from state or national highways.
Violating all such norms, stone crushing units were carrying out their operations.
After Chakraborty Singh Rathore joined as Collector, he started demolishing these units in February. A few days after this drive, several units have started functioning.
The Collector recently visited some crusher units and fined two for illegally piling up stones.
PNN
