India, May 23 -- The Uttarakhand high court on Thursday directed the state government to identify separate zones for the operation of stone crushers in the state within six weeks and not to issue any fresh licenses for their operation till then.

The division bench of Justice Manoj Tiwari and Justice Ashish Naithani gave these directions while hearing a petition filed by Mahendra Singh, and two others from Fatehpur Tanda area in Dehradun district.

Dushyant Mainali, counsel of the petitioners, said the houses and agricultural land of the petitioners are situated in the close vicinity of a stone crusher site which is being run in utter violation of laws, causing environmental pollution and adverse effects on agricultural productivity and h...