68 out of 131 stone crushers in Beas Basin did not have permission
Along with the climatic change, the unscientific and illegal mining along the river beds was responsible for the natural calamity in the State causing huge damage to life and property, reported the Multi-Sector Committee, in its interim report submitted to the Government. The committee was constituted after the disaster that wreaked havoc in the State during monsoons triggering flash floods and massive landslides, stated a spokesperson of the State Government here today.
The report mentions that out of 131 stone crushers set up in the Beas River basin, 68 did not have the necessary permission, and only 50 operators were found to have valid permits. Apart from this, seven crushers were affected by the floods and few anomalies were found in the remaining six. Due to excessive muck dumping in the Beas River and on its banks, the flash floods caused enormous damage to life and both public and private property. The report mentioned that the environmental balance of the Beas River basin is under great pressure, which needs to be studied scientifically, and has also stressed suggesting short-, medium and long-term measures for the operation of stone crushers.
He said that depending on the conditions, the committee has recommended granting permission to operate 50 stone crushers which have received necessary permission with certain mandatory guidelines. These crushers can be operated for 12 hours from 6 AM to 6 PM. The use of DG set on any crusher should be made illegal. The committee also recommended the installation of CCTV cameras in all the stone crushers which will be monitored by the State Pollution Control Board and Mining Department.
If any illegal mining is found within a 500-meter radius of the stone crushers, the local authority should report it in writing, otherwise action should be taken against the owner of the stone crusher. The report also said that stone crushers who do not have the necessary permissions will first have to obtain permissions, after which they can be considered for operations, and that too on a case-to-case basis.
The spokesperson said that the committee has also recommended that for addressing the environmental issues and to maintain the ecological balance, the state government should grant permission through a high-level authorized committee on a single window basis for the operation of mining and stone crushers, renewal, etc. Till the final report of the committee came, there was a temporary ban on opening new stone crushers in the state. The report also emphasizes strengthening the process of operating captive stone crushers so that they are not used in illegal activities.
The spokesperson said that the Industries Department is studying the recommendations of the committee.
