12 stone-crushing units sealed for flouting norms

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh, October 27

The Haryana Pollution Control Board has sealed 12 stone-crushing units in the district for flouting pollution norms.

Sources said these units did not have water sprinklers and fabric filters to check dust extraction and other pollution control devices. The process to close three more plants is also under way, they said.

“The board has issued notices to 45 stone-crushing units for not installing pollution control devices. Unit owners were given sufficient time to fulfil all parameters essential to run the plants, but some of them failed to comply with the directives,” they said.

The sources said 75 plants were being functioning in Dholera, Jainpur, Gangtana, Zerpur and Garhi areas of the district. Besides them, five others are being operated at other parts of the city. RK Bhonsle, SDO (Pollution), said notices had been served on several plants for ensuring strict compliance of pollution norms.

Bhagirath Vashisth, mining officer, said many plants had been put on notices for functioning without renewing their licences.

“A police action has been recommended against unit owners who had restarted stone crushing after breaking the seal of the units illegally,” he said.

The district has witnessed a rise in the number of stone-crushing units in five years despite a ban on mining activities.