The court was hearing a PIL against stone crushing activity in Himmatnagar taluka of Sabarkantha district that was causing air pollution in nearby residential colonies.
The Gujarat High Court has directed the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to formulate a special policy for regulation of the 1258 stone quarries in various districts of the state. The court was hearing a PIL against stone crushing activity in Himmatnagar taluka of Sabarkantha district that was causing air pollution in nearby residential colonies.
The bench comprising acting Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice JB Pardiwala directed the GPCB to immediately formulate a policy to regulate stone crushing at the quarries. Besides prescribing reasonable conditions, the programme would frame guidelines for licences and their periodical renewal.
The court also directed the pollution regulator of the state to file a compliance report on or before June 11, 2012. According to the court order, the GPCB has been asked to prepare a comprehensive programme for prevention, control or reduction of air pollution caused by stone quarries in the state.
For this purpose, the GPCB norms shall also secure, whenever necessary, the execution of any control equipment, industrial plant or manufacturing process. They will give directions to such persons as the GPCB may consider necessary to take steps for the prevention, control or reduction of air pollution, the court order says.
The court further said that board is also entitled to inspect air pollution at such intervals as it deems necessary, assess the quality of air in various areas and take steps for the prevention, control or reduction of air pollution in these areas.
Further, the board is authorised to lay down, in consultation with the Central Board, standards for emissions from industrial plants and automobiles or for the discharge of pollution into the atmosphere from any other source, other than a ship or aircraft. The GPCB shall consult the Central Board regarding the pollution standards set by the central authority for quality of air, the court said.
The bench passed this order while hearing a PIL filed by one Yusuf Aagolodiyaa against the permission for stone crushing granted to a couple of units in Prempur village of Himmatnagar taluka of Sabarkantha district.
The petitioner said the stone crushing industries were causing pollution in nearby residential colonies. Due to the dust in the air, local residents were suffering from lung and other health problems, the PIL says. While giving permission for stone crushing in the area, local authorities ignored norms regulating the activities of stone crushing industries, the petitioner alleged.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}