Daijiworld Media Network – Karkala (HB)

Karkala, Feb 6: The high court issued a notice to Sheesha Nayak, an owner of a stone crushing unit here to stop the illegal operation as the licence of the same had expired in 2016.

The owner had sought permission for installing a crusher unit (producing MSand) in Kanajaru village on a two-acre land in 2013. The concerned department had issued a licence for three years from November 19, 2013 to June 30, 2016.

In November 2015, the district administration and revenue department received complaints from Kanajaru villagers. They alleged that the crusher unit was a disturbance in the village and agricultural activities besides leading to the contamination of lake water. They also said that the dust, produced at the crusher unit may spoil the health of children and locals.

It was said that polluted water from the crusher unit was directly released into the lake and the owner of crusher had illegally acquired land which is a water storage area during monsoon.

A joint inspection was conducted on March 30, 2016 by geologist, revenue inspector, Neere panchayat development officer and forest department official.

It is said that Sheesha Nayak had received notice from court in January 2017, but he continued the functioning of the crusher unit. Hence, the villagers of Kanajaru had brought this issue to the notice of Prime Minister’s office and Lokayukta as well.

Based on credible information that the crusher unit was functioning even after its licence expired in 2016, the high court issued notice to cancel the permit and stop its functioning at the earliest.