ENVIRNMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPECT OF

CRUSHING STONE PLANT IN DISS.QUETTA

Tightening of air quality standards for populated urban

areas has led to increasing attention to assessment of air
quality management areas, where violation of air quality
standards occurs, and development of control strategies to
eliminate such violation of air quality standards. Bowl
shaped Quetta Valley is about 1650 mabove mean sea level, and is
bounded by the Murdarmountain ranges with peak height of 3134
m. Chiltanpeak height 3261 m) almost parallels it by 10~16 km on
the east and west of the valley, somewhat farther
are the mountain ranges of Zarghoon (peak height
3519 m) and Takatoo (peak height 3401 m) enclosing
the valley along the Northeast and Northwest directions
.
The Quetta urban area is very densely built and has heavy dust of crushing
stone plant. The increases of emissions mainly from crushing stone plant
are responsible for the increase in atmospheric pollution levels during the
last five years. Dust particles were obtained by bladder method from the
exhausts of various crushing stone plant. Respirable crystalline silica
dust generated during stone crushing operations has been linked
to chronic lung disease, environmental alergy and increased risk
of tuberculosis. In
Pkistan, most stone crushing mills operate without any dust
control or containment systems. This investigation in the Quetta
District of Baluchstan.demonstrated a reduction in respirable
particulate mass following the application
of a fine mist of water. stone crushers in Pakistan
could have a positive public health impact. The stone
crushing industry is growing rapidly and is
very decentralized. Greater effort is needed to
encourage
the adoption of technologies to minimize silica
exposures. This reserch demonstrates that, in one
locality,
an ongoing effort to educate stone crusher mill
owners about silica hazards and available controls
could greatly reduce exposures.
The application of a fine mist of water has been
shown to be an effective means to reduce respirable
dust from stone crusher mills in the U.S. and other
developed countries. However, these systems are
not in
widespread use in India due a lack of technical
expertise,
experience, and incentives to use dust control
technologies.
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