The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has officially reiterated its recommendation for a minimum 150-meter safety distance between stone quarries and residential or inhabited areas across Kerala. This stance comes after an expert committee previously highlighted the inadequacy of the State government’s existing 50-meter safety buffer.
This recommendation, initially detailed in a joint committee report filed on March 3, 2023, was formally re-emphasized in a reply submitted by the central board to the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on September 20, 2025.
The expert panel’s report explicitly states that rock blasting activities should not be permitted within a 150-meter radial distance of any quarry’s blasting zone if houses or structures not owned by the mine operator are present within this radius. This implies that if the blast zone is in the periphery or boundary of the quarry lease area, the 150-meter safety criteria must be strictly upheld from the nearest independent residential structure.
Furthermore, the committee advised that stone quarry operators implement rigorous safety protocols during blasting operations, particularly within designated danger zones. They are urged to employ qualified mining engineers to oversee routine blasting in a scientific manner, ensuring full compliance with the by-laws and regulations set forth by authorities for minor mineral extraction. The report also stressed the need for mining regulatory bodies to enhance their checks and surveillance mechanisms to effectively enforce these quarry regulations.
Notably, the Kerala government had previously voiced strong opposition to the panel’s recommendation for the 150-meter safety distance. The State had argued that the expert report contained several flaws and that there was no justification to increase the current regulatory distance of 50 meters between quarries and residential areas.