Mir Farhat
SRINAGAR, Dec 18: Throwing the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) guidelines to wind, over half a dozen stone crushers are operating within the residential area in Srinagar outskirts posing a threat to the lives of inhabitants.
Residents of Zewan that falls within Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) limits said that six stone crushers are operating within their area. Despite several complaints to the authorities on them, no action has been taken against till date.
“The rampant pollution- noise, air- caused due to these stone crushers, made our lives hell. We have appealed to the authorities to close these units immediately because they endanger our lives,” the residents said.
As per PCB rules, stone crusher units cannot operate within the residential areas. The rules state that the existing stone crushers will have to run from half a kilometer and the new units one kilometer away from the residential area limits. In addition to it, the units have to install efficient pollution control mechanism.
The SPCB norms also assert that three rows of trees should be encircling every stone crusher to reduce the impact of dust emission. And the unit holders must install water sprinklers at the site to reduce the force in the dispersal of dust.
However, the residents said they have time and again appealed the concerned authorities to shut the stone crushers or ask their owners to install pollution control devices of prescribed standards, but to no avail.
They allege the units are operating “by the permission” of the PCB officials, who despite knowing that these polluting units “risk our lives” are allowing them to operate in the residential area.
They said pollution caused due to stone crushers had affected their, health and even their children were suffering from chronic bronchitis. “There has been a rise in respiratory diseases, breathlessness, burning sensation of throat, eyes and nose as well as headache,’ the residents said.
“They even threaten the existence of flora and fauna,” they said. “The PCB officials are in nexus with the owners of stone crushers to operate illegally here and have some political backing.”
The residents claim that stone crusher owners don’t splash or sprinkle water on the boulders during their crushing, and as such plumes of dust bellow in the air, that the whole residential houses, pollutes air, gardens, houses, and whatever household items are lying around.
SPCB Law Officer Mohammad Maqbool told Excelsior that if the stone crushers run from populated area “they have to shut.”
“If the stone crushers affect the health of the population then they have to shift, not the population. Whether residential colonies come up before or after the unit has been established, the units have to go,” he said.
Regional Director SPCB, Mohammad Shafi Keen did not say anything on it. “I am on leave these days. When I resume my office, I will tell you about these units,” Keen added.
SMC Commissioner Dr G N Qasba told Excelsior that the residents should bring the issue into his notice through a written complaint and “I will act accordingly.”
But, the residents said they have written to all the authorities concerned which can act in this issue.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Shah told Excelsior that he will look into the issue.
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