Jajpur: Illegal stone crusher units are causing the state to lose revenue worth crores of rupees, officials said. Despite periodic inspections, effective action against unauthorised crushers has remained limited, allowing violations to continue.
The Minor Minerals department has been conducting checks at stone crusher units to verify environmental clearances, transit passes, sale receipts and other mandatory documents. However, visible enforcement against illegal units has so far been lacking. To curb such violations, the state Steel and Mines Department had earlier issued an order, May 5, 2025, directing all stone crusher units to register on the Integrated Minor Mineral Mining Management System (i4MS) portal.
The Directorate of Minor Minerals reiterated the directive through subsequent orders issued May 9, 2025 and October 30, 2025. However, as per the officials, even after nine months, none of the stone crusher owners complied with the registration requirement, prompting fresh instructions from the government. In a recent order February 9, 2026, Deputy Director of Minor Minerals Turam Balai Munda directed all Deputy Directors of Mines (DDMs) and Mining Officers (MOs) to ensure that all stone crusher units are registered on the i4MS portal by February 20, 2026.
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The directive asked field officers to treat the matter as a priority and initiate appropriate action against non-compliant units. Officials said the registration process would help improve monitoring, enhance transparency and prevent revenue loss caused by unauthorised mining and crushing activities. The Directorate of Minor Minerals under the Steel and Mines Department has issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the registration of stone crusher units on the i4MS portal.
As per the SOP, all operational stone crusher units must complete their registration on the i4MS portal within one month. A private farm has been directed to take the necessary steps for integration of the SOP. The registration certificate will remain valid until the expiry of the sitting criteria or the consent to operate (CTO). Unit owners must apply for renewal through the portal at least 30 days before the registration expires. For transportation of minerals from crusher units, obtaining permission from the competent authority and securing an e-Transit Permit (e-TP) through the i4MS portal will be mandatory.
Crusher unit owners must provide accurate daily details of raw materials received and processed output dispatched through Form-C on the portal. A consolidated monthly return must be submitted to the authorities within the first week of every month. All norms prescribed by the Pollution Control Board must be strictly followed. Crusher units will be required to produce mineral stock details and relevant records during inspections by government officials. Installation of CCTV cameras and check gates has been made mandatory to ensure proper monitoring of stock. Violation of the SOP may lead to cancellation of registration.
The district-level task force will oversee the registration process and ensure compliance. Regular roadside checks will be conducted by the administration to inspect vehicles transporting chips, dust and metals from crusher units. Vehicles found operating without valid e-TPs will face penalties, and action will be initiated against owners and drivers. In such cases, the registration of the concerned crusher unit can also be cancelled. Officials said strict implementation of these measures is expected to signifi cantly boost revenue and effectively curb illegal mining and transportation of black stone.
