Depts fail to take responsibility of implementing guidelines for quarries

A Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 query filed by The Indian Express has revealed that both the departments have shrugged the responsibility of implementing the guidelines and have been pointing at each other.

Over 700 stone quarries operate in the Pune district. Environmentalists have been pointing out to environmental degradation, particularly soil, water and air pollution due to unchecked quarrying, most of which can be irreparable.

In order to mitigate environmental hazards of quarrying activities, in December 2006, MPCB had issued a series of guidelines to be followed. These guidelines, included methods to curb source-wise pollution levels. Other than asking for concrete roads, the guideline makes it compulsory for periodical sprinkling of water, compulsory plantation of trees along the hauling path garland to drain off water and maintenance of proper gradient along the quarry.

Newsline had filed RTI applications with both MPCB and the mining department of the district collectorate asking for details of implementation of the guidelines. The application had asked for details of the action taken against the the quarries where the guidelines were flouted.

In its reply, MPCB stated that neither do they inspect any quarry nor have they taken any action against any stone quarry. “Permission and inspection of

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