New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS): The joint panel constituted by the NGT to monitor water and air pollution due to stone crushers in Mahendergarh district in Haryana, has recommended a complete ban on permission for setting up more units in the area.

The committee, which was constituted by National Green Tribunal (NGT) to monitor and excute its directives on the matter, submitted its reports on Tuesday before the principal bench stating that no permission should be granted to set up new unit of stone crusher in the area.

The committee was constituted on an appeal filed by residents of the affected villages of Mahendergarh district, alleging that dust emanating from units is creating respiratory problems and other health hazards.

The committee headed by Mahendergarh deputy commissioner along with the officials including divisional forest officer and the state Pollution Control Board (SPCB) had been asked to monitor alleged illegal operations of stone crushers and extraction of ground water without permission from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).

"The mineral grinding units should necessarily put in place measures to ensure that dust or pollutants emanating from operation stone crushing units do not mix up with air at the time of grinding," the committee said in its report.

It also added, "State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) should come out with elaborate guidelines for the functioning of units, so that it could not create pollution in the area."

As per the report, there are 162 stone crushers units with major grinding machines of minerals installed in Mahendergarh district.

Some stone crushing units have been closed down due to action from SPCB.