State governments need to “harmonise” regulations governing granite and stone quarrying, which would result in a regulatory system that was “transparent and fosters competition,” said Vishwapati Trivedi, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, on Wednesday.

Speaking at the inaugural session of Stona 2012, the international granite and stone fair organised by the All-India Granites and Stone Association, Mr. Trivedi observed that the application of the Granite Conservation and Development Rules, 1999,

24 people working in stone-crushing units die of the disease

Visit the small village of Musabani in Jharkhand and you hear heart-rending stories of people involved in mining.
Situated near National Highway 33 close to Jamshedpur, Musabani drew public attention recently as 24 people died due to silicosis here. The village has been an active mining area with a large number of stone crushers that work for the K.K. Mineral factory and its sister factories.

To enable govt to identify safer zones for relocating units

RAMPURHAT, 23 NOV: The Birbhum Adivasi Gaonta (BAG) will go in for a fresh stir if the district administration does not take concrete steps against illegal mines and owners of stone crushing units.

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court has taken a serious note of illegal mining taking place in the state on a large scale, especially in the green belts.

ADMINISTRATION THREATENS TO SEAL UNITS IF OWNERS FAIL TO PRODUCE POLLUTION DOCUMENTS, TRIBAL BODY STICKS TO STAND

Neemrana: Barely 10 km from the RIICO industrial area in Neemrana, the countryside that once charmed people with its mustard fields, is now emerging as a stone-cutters’ paradise. The narrow potholed road to Mandan, a tiny hamlet, is lined with stone cutting machines that constantly feed a train of tractors and trucks that transport slates to Delhi, Bombay to be further shipped to Europe and the US.

Government today constituted an Empowered Committee to examine the issues related to establishment of un-authorized and illegal stone crushers, brick kilns and other allied establishments, which are hazardous to the environment across the State.

The Tirunelveli Collector on Monday informed the Madras High Court Bench here that no proposal existed at present to grant lease for any kind of stone quarry within a radius of 5 kilometres from the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, which was expected to become operational soon.