DAMAULI, JANUARY 5
Tanahun has over one and a half dozen crusher industries running without meeting the standard criteria and without renewing their licences.
According to sources of the District Coordination Committee, the district has 19 crusher plants running without renewing licences and in violation of the standard criteria and they have ignored frequent calls to operate by complying with the criteria.
"Of the 19 crusher plants running illegally and in contravention of the law, 10 have also been told to stop operation," said Nara Bahadur Sarki, an officer at the DCC, adding that the instruction for the plants to close down followed an inspection which showed they were operating without complying with the standard criteria mandated for the operation of such plants.
The plants told to stop their operation include Siddheshwor Aggregate and Crusher Industry, Axis Aggregate Company Pvt Ltd, SNL Aggregate and Crusher Industry Pvt Ltd, Melmilap Boulder, Sand and Gravel Industry Pvt Ltd, Jaya Mahalaxmi Crusher Industry and Proffer Construction and Crusher Pvt Ltd of Shukla Gandaki Municipality and Namuna Grid and Crusher Industry Pvt Ltd of Bandipur.
As per the government criteria, any crusher plant wanting to operate must be at least 2-km away from educational institutions and sites of religious and cultural significance. Similarly, they have to be 500-metre away from concrete bridges, 2-km from international borders, national parks and dense settlements. In case of high-tension line, any crusher plant operating must be at least 200 metres away from such line.
Besides, there are other criteria the crusher industries must follow to operate.
"Most of the crusher plants in the district are running by flouting the standard criteria.
We've frequently told them to follow the criteria," said CDO Bishwo Prakash Aryal, adding that the remaining crusher plants will be monitored and the process of closing them down will be taken ahead if they are found to be still running against the criteria.
As learnt, presently, only nine industries registered with the Cottage and Small Industry Committee Office have been given permission for operation in the district.
A version of this article appears in the print on January 6, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
