NONGPOH: The District Magistrate, Ri Bhoi District, promulgated Section 144 CrPC on Thursday prohibiting any persons, company, individual etc., from resorting to, the act of mining of stone, boulders and sand or removal of sand from the rivers beds without obtaining mining lease and other clearance from the competent authority. Such offenders shall be prosecuted under the relevant Sections of the Law.
This Order has been issued in view that illegal stone quarrying/sand mining and unscientific extraction of stones are taking place within Ri Bhoi District and unregulated removal of rocks in the hilltops, hill slopes and upper reaches of the land have, in turn, resulted to landslides, flash floods and erosion of the soil. furthermore, use of high explosives in stone quarrying and heavy drilling machines on sand mining operations have resulted in intense noise pollution and the consequent discharge of fine dust particles into the air, causes air pollution and may pose a serious health hazard to human life and native wildlife alike.
In addition, sand mining on the either side of the rivers up streams and down streams is one of the causes for environmental degradation and also a threat to biodiversity and also causes hazardous impact on ecological equilibrium and changes in channel configuration and flow – paths. This order shall come into force with immediate effect and until further order.