DAMAULI, JANUARY 11

Around two dozen crusher industries operating against the standard criteria have been shut. According to District Monitoring Committee coordinator and District Coordination Committee, Tanahun, Chief Shantiraman Wagle, all 20 crusher plants in the district have been padlocked.

The shutdown of crusher plants comes in the wake of the direction of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

'We closed down all 20 plants operating in the district as all of them were found operating without complying with the mandatory criteria,' Wagle said, adding the plants were closed by mobilising police.

Assistant Chief District Officer Kashiram Gaihre also confirmed the closure of plants that were operating in violation of the criteria.

'While some were operating without being registered or renewed, others were also not running legally as they also flouted one or the other condition(s) for their operation. Besides meeting the domestic demand, the now-closed crusher plants were also exporting building materials to as far as Dubai. The sand and gravel produced from the plants are said to be of high quality, hence the demand was high even in India and beyond.

A version of this article appears in the print on January 12, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.