The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Court stays operation of stone crushing unit

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Friday, Oct 26, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Court stays operation of stone crushing unit

Special Correspondent

Deputes an advocate-commissioner to inspect the region

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has stayed stone crushing activities at Poonthandalam-Pazhandandalam village, and deputed an advocate-commissioner to inspect the region.

Passing orders on a public interest litigation petition, the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice V. Ramasubramanian, said advocate Nagashila would carry out inspection of the stone crushing unit and the surrounding lands and submit a report to the court.

The advocate-commissioner shall ascertain whether any damage has been caused to the surrounding agricultural lands due to stone crushing, the blast operation in particular, the Bench said.

The petition, jointly filed by S. Munusamy, K. Ambika and B. Venugopal, alleged that because of the blasting operations, most of their lands were filled with rocks and debris.

A giant stone crusher unit had been installed by the licensee, ignoring an order rejecting his application for the same. Despite regulatory orders, the unit was being operated throughout the day and night, and blasting was not being done by any recognised expert, argued their counsel N.G.R. Prasad.

Acceding to counsel’s plea, the Bench restrained the licensee from operating the unit until further orders and directed the Pollution Control Board to inform the court whether the crushing unit had obtained its permission.

It asked the Kancheepuram District Collector to extend full support to the advocate-commissioner.

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