SHILLONG: The Garo Hills Union has expressed concern over the growing number of stone quarries in Garo Hills which have led to environment deterioration.
In a memorandum submitted to GHADC CEM, GSU said that illegal stone quarries and stone crushers are operating rampantly without any concern for forests, environment and ecology. The GSU, while demanding an immediate shutdown of all such illegal activities said that the group had surveyed many stone quarries in Hat Singimari, Sawrawali, Jongkipara, Pipulbari, Than Gaon, Chatibhui, Dhapgre and Dolbari.
“It has been reported to us that there were more than 800 stone quarries and more than eighty stone crushing units and ninety-nine percent of them did not possess any kind of license,” GSU said even as it added that many units have no valid license from GHADC or any other governmental agencies.
According to GSU, these quarries and stone crushers are placed neat to the streams causing destruction to them destroyed while trees are also rampantly being uprooted and cut without any environmental clearance. Hills are also being systematically cut creating huge quarries.
“We are seriously concerned about the matter and are quite ready to pursue agitations to make sure that this illegal and destructive activity is immediately stopped for the greater good of Garo Hills and its people,” GSU added.
