Ranchi: Hazaribagh district administration early on Sunday launched a marathon seven-hour surprise raid on illegal stone crusher units on forestland in and near Hazaribagh National Park that posed a risk to ecology and people.

Of the 50 stone crusher units raided, four legal ones were spared and 46 illegal ones razed. Most units were in Buswa in Ichak, in Titra forests, part of Hazaribagh Wildlife Sanctuary.

Hazaribagh subdivisional officer Aditya Ranjan confirmed the crackdown and said FIRs against 15 named persons and several unnamed for running illegal units were filed. Separate showcause notices are being issued to electricity officials on how they issued transformers to illegal units.

This development comes in the wake of an poor report by a special team formed by National Green Tribunal (NGT), which last month had gone on a field inspection of Hazaribagh and Koderma. Also, four days ago, Jharkhand High Court while hearing a PIL had directed Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board to ensure stringent steps to check rising pollution, asking pollution watchdogs to undertake spot verifications and file a detailed report to the court. The next date of hearing is May 15.

Sunday raids began at 6.30pm with over 100 personnel from various police stations.

SDO Ranjan said they were surprised how proper transformer connections were issued to illegal crusher units. "We are showcausing power department officials. Depending on their response, we will include names of erring officials in the FIR. Let them defend themselves in court."

He added that the location of most crusher units worried them. "Areas within a 10km radius of the sanctuary shouldn't have crusher units."