Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Aug 5: A private stone crusher has been operating illegally just adjacent to Bufliaz bridge on Mughal Road under the nose of District Administration Poonch for the last more than 15 years.
Official sources told the ‘Excelsior’ that this stone crusher started operation during 2006 with the special permission of supplying raw material for construction of Mughal Road. The temporary permission was issued to the owner of Stone Crusher till the completion of work of Mughal road.
Now, since the work of Mughal road was completed in the year 2010 but the stone crusher is operating illegally till now. The locals of the town took up the matter with the District Administration and J&K Pollution Control Board authorities as well but this unit continued its operation uninterrupted.
Sources further revealed that forest area is approximately around 200 meters away from this stone crusher but the Pollution Control Board Jammu and even its Poonch district PCB authorities are silent on this issue. Moreover, the Unit holders are selling material in the open market. They are also hiding their sales in book of accounts. Therefore, they are not paying GST to the State Taxes department as well.
It’s pertinent to mention here that this unit is also doing mining illegally in the Bafliaz river. This unit is polluting the surrounding environment and causing a threat to the lives of the persons residing in the town area. The locals are demanding shifting of this unit to some other location since long. They have appealed the Deputy Commissioner Poonch, PCB authorities Jammu and DMO Poonch to take Cognizance of the matter.
Deputy Commissioner, Poonch, Inderjeet when contacted said that this matter had come to his notice some time back and he had directed Tehsildar concerned to visit there and stop operation. DC said he had also asked them to produce the valid documents of the Unit but they have not provided the same as yet. But if the owner of the Unit is still operating calendestinely, he will take serious note of it and also act against the concerned officials for inaction on their part.
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