Following the administration’s massive crackdown on allegations of illegal stone mining, the local crusher owners’ association and hundreds of workers at Khordha’s crusher units staged a massive rally and gheroed the district collector’s office on Wednesday.
In an effort to strengthen its fight against the stone mafia, the Khordha district administration sealed 104 crusher units that were allegedly operating illegally in the district. The owners of the crusher units and the workers who work there, however, were vehemently opposed to the administration’s move.
The union also claims that the administration has not only sealed the crusher units, but has also cut off power to the workers’ homes.
“No illegal crusher units are operating in the district.” The pollution control board has granted us all of the necessary permissions to operate these units. “The administration has sealed approximately 104 units out of the 413 crushers,” said regional crusher owners’ association secretary Prakash Samantaray.
“We wanted to discuss the matter with the Collector, but the assistant collector said we are not open to discussion and that the decision to seal the crusher units has been made.” So we’re sending a memo to the 5T secretary via the Collector,” Samantaray explained.
Khordha Collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthy stated that necessary action will be taken after reviewing the situation.
“We have already met with the crusher unit owners association and asked that the units that do not have permission cease operations immediately.” Furthermore, I have directed that all pending applications be cleared on a war footing,” Chakravarthy said.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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