The district administration has asked the permit holders of stone quarries to stop operation forthwith after receipt of an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

An environmental activist had moved to the NGT challenging the permission of the administration for quarrying without environment clearance (EC). Those quarries, stone and morrum, were operative within the restricted zone of a sanctuary.

As per guidelines quarrying within 10 km of radius of a sanctuary could only be made after obtaining prior EC from the appropriate authority.

With the order the operation of as many as 35 quarries, operational in Nilgiri and Soro, has come to a grinding halt. While the permit holders face the heat, construction works have suffered a jolt.

It may be noted the permit holders were given permission for quarrying after deposit of nearly `1 lakh each about two months ago for three months.

The order came after they extracted materials barely for a month. “It is surprising that out permit has been withdrawn barely after one month of giving to us. We could hardly extract. We may move to court for refund of our deposit amount. The permit was given to the contractors who are involved in construction of Government roads, buildings and establishments. The withdrawal is a jolt both for us as well as for the Government works as there would b serious scarcity of stone, boulder and morrum,” said a quarry permit holder.

“The permit is cancelled following an NGT order. The order has been also communicated to all the holders. The permit holders were given permission for quarrying to a certain area. Measurement would be made as to how much they have quarried against the limit. If necessary we may refund the deposit amount to the permit holders,” said local tehsildar Sarat Mahalik.