Date | Nov 29, 2017:

All round economic activity has brought great pressure on resources. The threat of depletion of resources is mounting and is more visible in crucial aspects like water and building material. We need bricks, stones, timber, cement and so many components of construction material to bring up a structure. These do not come by themselves but a full list of pre-requisites is there to be fulfilled before the finished product usable in building is available in the market.

We shall deal with one of these requirements namely stones, gravel, sand and other materials needed in building. Stone crushers, brick kilns and hot-wet mix plants are among essential construction facilities. Brick kilns require unbaked bricks which, in turn, need earth and space and firewood to keep the kilns burning. It involves health hazards, pollution of air and environs and damage to the health of the inhabitants living close to these operational units. Likewise the stone crushers would select a quarry, deploy a stone crusher and begin crushing the stones to gravel to be supplied to the builders. They did not mind for protective measures to reduce the impact of dust and stone crushing soot that is highly injurious to health.

We have come to know that about 600 stone crushers and hot-wet mixers are operating in the entire State. Till 2015, there were no definite rules governing the establishment of a stone crushing unit or hot-wet mixers or brick kilns. It was only in 2015 that the factor of the Department of Geology and Mining was brought into the scene. Then began the exercise of framing rules and regulations that aimed at ensuring that these units did not become health hazard for the people especially those living in close proximities of these units. Till that date no attention had been paid towards framing of rules under Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (Central Act) despite having sufficient powers in this regard.

It was only last year that Geology and Mining Department woke up from several years of deep slumber and set into motion the process of framing of rules as mandated under Section 15 and Section 23C of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. Under new rules all units of stone crushers and mixers have to get their units registered with the Department of Geology and Mining and obtain No Objection Certificates (NOC) from several Governmental departments/ agencies before setting up a unit. Under the new comprehensive rules, it is clearly defined at what distance the stone crushers can be established from the habitats and national highways and other installations. The distance from the main residential quarters is also defined. Finally, State Government notified J&K Minor Mineral Exploitation and Processing Rules, 2017 in July 19, 2017 for regulation of minor mineral based units/stone crushers and hot/wet mix plants wherein under a license from Directorate of Geology and Mining for establishing/ operating these plants has been made mandatory. Accordingly, all unit holders were asked to obtain licenses from relevant authority. Even directions were issued to the Regional Offices that the operation/functioning of all minor mineral based units like crushers and hot/wet mixing plants, marble and granite cutting/polishing/ POP etc units shall be strictly regulated under these rules.

None of these units around 600 of them has so far obtained the licenses as desired under rules and as such these are functioning illegally. The orders are that within a period of two months from the commencement of new rules the units shall obtain the license which will be valid for five years. No unit has followed the rule so far. The Department of Geology and Mining appears to be soft paddling with the issue and thus the public health is placed in jeopardy. It is also said that there is interference of political heavy weights in this matter because of vested interests. This is a sad reflection on the role of the authorities who first committed the grave irregularity of sleeping over the Act for so many years and did not formulate comprehensive rules that would have disallowed the mushroom growth of stone crushers etc and secondly now that the rules are framed, these are not implemented in letter and in spirit. Public health remains exposed to serious threats particularly of those people who live in close proximity of the stone crushers and hot/wet mixers.

(Source: http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/)