The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the State Mining Secretary to establish a separate zone for stone crushers away from residential and agricultural areas, in a move aimed at mitigating environmental and health concerns raised by local communities.
A division bench comprising Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Ashish Naithani passed the order on Thursday, instructing the mining department to identify and earmark suitable locations for the zone within six weeks. The court directed that a compliance report be submitted in the form of an affidavit.
The court further imposed an interim restriction on the installation of any new stone crushers in the state until further notice.
The directions came in response to a public interest litigation filed by Mahendra Singh, a resident of Fateh Tanda village in Dehradun district, along with other villagers. The petitioners alleged that the operations of Balaji Stone Crusher, situated near agricultural fields, were severely impacting crop yields and polluting the surrounding environment.
The court’s order underscores the need for balancing developmental activities with environmental protection and the rights of rural communities.
