Despite ban in Pathankot, stone crusher operating ‘illegally’

Ravi Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service
Pathankot, January 24

Even as the Pathankot administration has ordered a clampdown on mining, it has surfaced that a stone crusher is being illegally operated in the mining belt of Chak Gajju of the Ravi.

On October 16, 2019, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) had issued a show-cause notice to the owner, asking him to stop operations as the crusher was violating the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

Earlier, the board had on June 16, 2017, granted permission to install the crusher. The one-year permission was later extended till June 15, 2020.

Sources said the Punjab Pollution Control Board had given permission only to set up the crusher and not to operate it. “Installation is one thing, while operating it is another. The unit, in gross violation of norms, started operations despite having no permission to do so,” said an official.

Punjab Pollution Control Board executive engineer (XEN) Harpal Singh claimed that the “crusher was not being operated”. However, the sources claimed that the unit was running and also transporting material to various places for sale.

“The unit has been ordered to shut down. We have made sure it is not being operated,” said the executive engineer.

Discounting the executive engineer’s version, eyewitnesses said for the last several days scores of trucks were seen transporting material from the site.

Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khaira claimed that he was unaware of the development and would verify the facts. “If it is being operated illegally, it will be shut down,” he said.

Politicians belonging to both the BJP and Congress have interests in the mining business in the area. “It is a multi-crore rupee business in which leaders have a major share. Officials think twice before shutting down illegal crushers because of the influence their owners exert on them,” said an MLA.

The show-cause notice clearly mentioned that “the site of the crusher falls within the flood protection embankment of the Ravi river.” Officials said no crusher could be operated in the flood protection embankment area.

“It has been decided to revoke the consent, also known as a no-objection certificate, given earlier. The industry is not complying with the guidelines of the Punjab Pollution Control Board,” read the notice.