RAWALPINDI: Punjab Minister for Mines and Minerals Chaudhry Sher Ali asked Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) to cut off supply to stone crushers at Margalla Hills, claiming that the illegal stone crushing will damage the environment.

“The district coordination officer should not issue licences for explosive materials used on Margalla Hills for stone crushing,” he said.

He was speaking during a meeting at the Commissioner’s Office to review arrangements to stop stone-crushing on Margalla Hills.

“Only three stone crushers have valid leases till 2015, while leases of all other stone crushers have expired. The government has imposed a ban on granting an extension to these leases to stop this activity on Margalla Hills,” the minister said.

He directed Punjab police to establish checkposts on Margalla Hills to keep an eye on the illegal practice of stone crushing.

He said the police should arrest the owners of the stone crushing machines if they are illegally established.

He said the provincial government was committed to protecting the environment and it had issued clear directions that stone crushing on Margalla Hills was not allowed.

He said there was a dire need to launch coordinated efforts to stop stone crushing. In this regard, all the government departments, including the administration and local police, need to come forward and play their role in implementing the directions of Punjab’s chief minister.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2014