Cuttack, May 23: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has asked the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) to immediately take action against illegal operation of a stone quarry at Kanto in Keonjhar district, which was posing a danger to property and life of people living nearby due to blasting of explosives and pollution.

The NGT expected SPCB to submit an Action Taken Report by July 6.

Earlier, the NGT had directed SPCB to probe into allegations of illegal operation of the stone quarry in Bandha hill area where blasting by illegal use of explosives had caused around 260 minor and major cracks in houses and led to the collapse of a boundary wall.

Kula Pradeep Sahoo, a resident of the affected area, had alleged that the illegal operation of the stone quarry with two crusher units was polluting the area and causing health hazard. In his petition Sahoo alleged: "The illegal operation has endangered life and property of the local people."

SPCB submitted its inspection report when the matter came up on May 18. Taking note of it the NGT's Eastern Zone Bench observed: "The report submitted by SPCB clearly reveals that the stone quarry is operating without consent."

"In view of this, we leave it to the State PCB to proceed against it in accordance with law. A report shall be filed on the next date on the action taken," the NGT Eastern Zone (Kolkata) bench of Justice S.P. Wangdi (judicial member) and P.C. Mishra (expert member), said in the May 18 order.

"The Tribunal has posted the matter to July 6 for hearing along with the Action-Taken-Report of the SPCB," petitioner counsel Sankar Prasad Pani said.