JAMMU: The Stone Crusher Owner Association (SCOA) has expressed resentment against the order issued by State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) for closure of BN Stone Crusher.

In a meeting held here in this regard, president, SCOA Vikram Randhawa described the report given by Additional DDC Jammu frivolous and misleading. He said that the Unit has valid NOC till May 2012 and has been continuously running its business for last 22 years. No proper hearing was given to the aggrieved unit holder, he added

Extraction of sand, bajri beneath bridges, culverts banned

JAMMU: The State Pollution Control Board (PCB) has issued orders for closure of B N Stone crusher at village Thathar, Bantalab as the same was located near residential area and adding pollution to the air and noise pollution in the area. The order regarding the closure of stone crusher was issued by Chairman Pollution Control Board, Lal Chand on the basis of public complaints. Mr Chand said that Board will take strict action and will not allow functioning of any stone crusher adjacent to residential areas threatening the environment and causing noise and air pollution.

Aizawl: Mizoram Geology and Mining Minister S Hiato has alleged the illegal stone quarry near Keifang village was reason behind the massive rockslide at the Aizawl-Champhai road in eastern Mizoram that killed 18 people on July 21.

A bus was travelling from Champhai town to Aizawl. It had almost reached the end of this quarry around 0100 hour when the boulders came crashing down, hitting the rear of the vehicle and leading to the death of 18 people.

Jaipur: The state government on Monday filed a detailed report on the shops and sculpture manufacturers working in Khajanewalon Ka Rasta in the old Walled City and stated that no manufacturing work will be allowed as it has resulted in air and noise pollution.

The government also clearly stated before the court that no manufacturing unit will be allowed in the Walled City including Khajanewalon Ka Rasta, Bhindon Ka Rata and the adjoinging old places known as 'chhokri murtikar'.

The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on Tuesday submitted in the High Court of Karnataka that all stone crushing units had been closed on June 30, 2012, following a Supreme Court order.

During the hearing of a petition by Vasanth Devadiga and others, challenging the permission for stone crushing units near residential zones, the KSPCB authorities including chairman A S Sadashivaiah, who were present in the court, said none of the leases had been renewed.

JAIPUR: A division bench of high court has issued notice on a PIL over the non-deployment of water sprinkler system and other pollution control measures by the large number of stone crushers of Kaladera industrial area of RIICO at Jaipur.

The notices were issued on a PIL filed by one Lakhan singh alleging that a large number of stone crushers are operating in the Kaladera industrial area of RIICO and they are not using any safety measures as well as pollution control steps to check pollution caused by small sand particles after extraction from these stone mines.

Lorry operators could not be permitted to transport even crusher dust, a product of the stone mining industry, to any place much less to other States without a valid transit permit, the Madras High Court Bench here has held.

Justice D. Hariparanthaman passed the ruling while dismissing a writ petition filed by a road transport company owner to forbear the government as well as police officials in Tirunelveli district from preventing the transport of crusher dust to Kerala.

Private company accused of plundering natural wealth

A private company has been allegedly extracting high-quality Shahbad stone slabs illegally at Wadi and villages near Chittapur in Gulbarga district for the past several years. According to Ashok Dahinde and Nariman Irani, the shareholders of Wadi Stone Marketing Company, the firm was quarrying stone even after its lease had expired in 1992.

The famed Kaziranga National Park in Assam finds itself in an interesting quandary, where human livelihood clashes with animal habitat.