Risky stone-crushing units will shut shop

BANGALORE: Come September, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) will shut down 2,700 unsafe stone-crushing units across the state as per the Supreme Court directive. These include 300 units in and around Bangalore.
"None of these units are safe as per the court order. They will exist only up to September. We have not given sanction to new units as they have all failed to satisfy the safe zone criteria," KSPCB chief A S Sadashivaiah told TOI.
But the government seems to be more worried about its projects than the safety aspect. It fears this decision will hit its multi-crore infrastructure plans — be it flyovers, underpasses , road works or even filling potholes. So it is now frantically pushing the central government for an amendment to the guiding rules for a relaxation in the safe zone criteria.
"We will be in a very difficult situation if the units are closed. You cannot find a single safe zone across the state to shift these units. Unfortunately, Karnataka is the only state affected by this. All constructions will come to a standstill. It’s 100% right to be concerned about pollution but the clauses must suit existing conditions. We have already written to the Union ministers concerned and are hopeful of a way out," state urban development and law minister S Suresh Kumar told TOI.
He blamed the present crisis on poor planning in the past. "We have not been comprehensive with our CDPs (comprehensive development plan) despite so many revisions," he said.
The multi-crore masterplan for the city infrastructure development sees a whopping Rs 22,000 crore outlay and is now being implemented by both the BBMP and BDA.