Mahendragarh: Stone crushers operating without ample water sprinklers, green belt

Ravinder Saini

Mahendragarh, December 4

Many stone crushers being operated in the district are neither developing green belt properly nor providing sufficient water sprinklers for dust suppression. Some of them have even not made adequate arrangement of cover sheds over machineries for dust suppression.

Must have at least 300-350 trees

Advertisement

It is mandatory for every stone-crushing unit to install adequate covered sheds with water sprinklers on its premises to keep the dust grounded. Every unit is also bound to develop a green belt with at least 300-350 trees on its periphery, but these conditions are not being followed. An HSPCB Official

This came to the fore when various teams of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) and the Forest Department inspected all stone crushers in the district following the directives of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Taking a serious note of it, the local office of the HSPCB recently issued a show-cause notice to six such units being operated at Begopur and Khatoli Ahir villages under Nangal Choudhary Tehsil; Dholera and Gangutana village under Narnaul region; and Zerpur village under Mahendragarh tehsil for not complying with the norms. As many as 85 stone crushers are, at present, operational in the district.

“It is mandatory for every stone-crushing unit to install adequate covered sheds with water sprinklers on its premises to keep the dust grounded. Every unit is also bound to develop a green belt with at least 300-350 trees on its periphery, but these conditions are not being followed,” informed an HSPCB official.

Sources maintained that dust emissions from the stone crushers were not only affecting the environment adversely, leading to crop yield loss and devastation of vegetation, but also endangering human health. Several residents of villages located near such units were suffering from skin and allergic diseases.

Krishan Yadav, Regional Officer, HSPCB, Narnaul, said the show-cause notices were served on six firms after they were found violating the essential parameters to curb air pollution. “Appropriate action will be taken against them if they fail to file a satisfactory reply. Surprise inspections are carried out at regular intervals to ensure that stone crushers are adhering to rules,” he stated.