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Jajpur: Prohibitory orders were imposed at a black granite stone quarry at Aruha hillock under Dharmasala tehsil in the district after allegations surfaced on the operation of mines without valid documents and environmental clearance.
The prohibitory orders were clamped under section 144 of Cr PC in the area in a bid to prevent illegal stone quarrying and mining activities, officials said.
The district administration has restricted unauthorised movement of vehicles and entry of individuals to the area without the permission of the concerned authorities. Similarly, extraction of stones, loading from the quarry has been banned.
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“We have already sealed around 200 illegal crusher units. Last month, I and SP had made a field visit and inspected the crusher units operating in the district. We have directed the crusher owners to maintain a register of the vehicles engaged in the transportation of minor minerals. They have also been asked to install CCTV cameras on their unit premises so that the movement of vehicles can be monitored smoothly,” Jajpur Collector Chakravarti Sing Rathore said.
The lessees have been also directed to give prior intimation regarding the vehicles to be engaged in their respective units for transportation works, the Collector added.
Many such black stone quarries were allegedly operating in the Dharmasala area without the consent of the Forest Department and district authorities.
Earlier, several quarries were also sealed by the administration as the lessees had resorted to mining activities without obtaining green certificates.
The illegal quarries used to plunder natural resources and cause serious environmental pollution by deep hole blasting. The mining activities also lead to degradation of ground water level, causing risk to the human settlement in the nearby locality.
Mining at Dankari, Baghua, Lunibari and Bichhakhandi hills had also been prohibited many times in the past due to operation without valid documents.
