Pointing out that though the petitioner suggests that appropriate action has been taken against illegal quarrying in the State, it is difficult to accept that illegal quarrying has been stopped altogether, the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy said, “Even the report filed by the Principal Secretary to the Industries Department seeks a fortnight to file a detailed report.”Based on this, the bench, while holding that this may be a case for a committee or an inspection team to be constituted, posted the case to July 27 for further hearing. The bench also directed the State to file a more detailed report in this regard.

The plea had sought for immediate stopping of illegal quarrying undertaken at several places across the State. The bench during the previous hearing had sought the State to be vigilant, to ensure that quarrying activities are undertaken only under the terms of the licenses granted and that the licensees adhere to the limited areas earmarked for them and do not undertake any quarrying activities beyond the areas allotted. “There are others who indulge in quarrying without obtaining any license or permission. In such cases, it is not only the State’s assets which are being looted, but an environmental hazard is also being presented. The State must attend to this malaise immediately and deal with the perpetrators in a befitting manner, ” the first bench had held.