Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has issued a show-cause notice on a private miner involved in alleged illegal stone quarry works in Dhenkanal district.
The OSPCB has sought the miner’s response on the violation of environmental norms as shown on papers produced through RTI replies from the local administration.
The pollution watchdog conducted an inspection at Jhilli in Kankadhada tehsil in the district to enquire about the stone quarry. The board in the notice said that it found inadequate air pollution measures needed to prevent dust emission during loading and unloading process.
It also said that the mine had not provided any dust suppression arrangement to prevent the fugitive dust emission at the mine haul roads and other working areas inside the mining lease area. It was also reported that there was no green belt inside the mining area.
The board claimed that excessive quarrying was done in gross violation of environmental laws. OSPCB said that the firm was allowed for total production of 6,500 m3 but as per government documents the production was found to be 92,930 m3.
The board said that over production beyond approved quantity is a gross violation of Section 25/26 of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and Section 21 of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981.
The respondent in the case has been asked to file its reply within 15 days.
Earlier, a case was filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in the case where the local residents had alleged non-compliance of laws, threat to the local biodiversity, excess stone quarry in the area.