Sarlahi, Sept. 29: The crusher industries operating illegally in the district have been ordered to close down for an indefinite period.

The crusher industries operating in violation of the Guidelines on Extraction, Sale and Management of Stone, Aggregates and Sand have been ordered shut, said Chief of the district Police Office, Superintendent Santosh Singh Rathour. He added that these industries were also flouting the standards set by the District Environment and Disaster Management Section.

"The industries would be allowed to operate only after the District Administration Office certifies that they have fulfilled the criteria and after carrying out on-site monitoring. Accordingly, 16 crusher industries in the district have been ordered closed for an indefinite period," he added.

Among the 16 industries, eight were in operation while eight others were not in operation but were in the process of the same.

As per the Guidelines issued by the Ministry of federal Affairs and General administration, such industries and quarries can not be operated within 500 metres to two kilometres of human settlements, main roadway, school, health posts, big rivers, bridges, places of religious, cultural and archaeological importance and forest area.

The crusher industries operating in the district without complying to the set standards are posing environmental threat to the Chure hill range as they have been haphazardly and wantonly extracting sand, stones and other resources.