Rock crushers in Anantapur district told to show permits for blasting

Mines department preparing to conduct study as per National Green Tribunal orders

Under the scanner: Department of Mining and Geology officials inspecting rock blast and mining sites in Anantapur.

The Department of Mines and Geology has given notices to 19 lease holders of crushers (rock crushing units) in Anantapur district to produce the permissions they have for handling of blasting material or carrying out blasting for extracting raw material, so that carrying capacity study can be conducted.

Study on vibrations

The notices were given based on a directive from the National Green Tribunal(NGT), which during a hearing on stopping the operation of these units last month, had asked the officials to conduct ‘vibrations study’.

The NGT had asked the department to submit carrying capacity and vibrations study report on October 14.

The department has chosen the Bengaluru-based National Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM) to carry out the study.

Mines and Geology Deputy Director Chandra Mouli told

The Hindu that once the 19 lease holders, who are the respondents in the case pending before the NGT, approached them with their papers and permission letters, the Director of Mines and Geology would be approached for seeking the services of NIRM.

The nodal officer for the purpose and Joint Director Rajababu was on the job and another meeting would be organised before month-end, he added.

Brief relief

An order dated January 12, 2018 had stopped operation of these units, but for studying the impact of their operation and to know the carrying capacity of these crushers, the NGT at its last hearing had permitted them to operate and go ahead with mining operation for a shorter period of one month.

While they operate under the supervision of the Mining Department, the units have been directed to perform the blasting operation in connection with the mining process after getting necessary permissions from the department concerned. The NGT order said, “After the study is completed the Mining Department is directed to stop the mining operation until further orders from this tribunal regarding this aspect. The committee is directed to complete the study and submit the report within a period of two months.”

Nod to some units

As per the order of November 12, 2018, the tribunal had directed the Mining and Geology Department to ensure that no stone mining operation can be continued.

Thereafter, as per the subsequent order of February 6 this year, certain crusher units which were found to be complied units were directed to be operated and the State Pollution Control Board was directed to issue permission for starting the unit but subject to compliance of the conditions and further monitoring.