TAD NewsDesk, NEW DELHI: In September, NGT has passed two special orders to curb the rampant violations of environmental norms in the Rajmahal Hills, Jharkhand, and Jammu and Kashmir.
The National Green Tribunal rightfully intervened to ensure that available mining in the Rajmahal Hills of Sahibganj district is penalized. NGT, the judicial body solely authorized to adjudicate on environmental cases across India, further directed the authorities to look into debris’ proper disposal to prevent it from polluting the Chenab river.
Mining in Rajmahal Hills
On September 23, a two-member bench of NGT noted in its judgment that extensive mining in the Rajmahal hills of Jharkhand’s had caused immense damage to the environment. The court led by Justices A K Goel and S P Wangdi of the NGT observed the unrestricted violation of environment laws despite penalties imposed by the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB).
NGT had received a joint inspection report on September 21, filed before it by JSPCB, Central Pollution Control Board, and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
The report dated March 12 informed the Tribunal of the absence of a State Environment Impact Assessment Authority in Jharkhand. The pre-existing body’s tenure had completed on November 8, 2019. The Tribunal had not delegated new members in their place.
JSPCB had inquired into the case of Rajmahal Hills and imposed a total of Rs 63,357,000 as environmental compensation on the stone mines and crusher units. Additionally, 55 stone mines were charged with a penalty of Rs 23,625,000, and Rs 39,732,000 was levied on 141 stone crushing units.
To date, a sheer amount of Rs 16,671,000 has been deposited at JSPCB by the stone mines and stone crusher units as a fine.
The NGT held the statutory regulator accountable for taking inadequate action to prevent the mining, destructive to the atmosphere.
Chenab River Pollution
The J&K Monitoring Committee of NGT recently took cognizance of the unlawful disposal of toxic debris into the Chenab river by CPPPL.
CPPPL is a contractor company engaged by the National Highway Authority of India to work on the four-laning of NH-44.
The residents raised concern over the unauthorized dumping of debris that fell straight into the Chenab and nearby creeks, which violated National Green Tribunal directives and notices issued by District Magistrate Ramban.
Heeding to the alarm raised by Ramban civil society members, the NGT filed a report against the prohibited procedure of waste disposal. The report complied with the NGT order in the case of Amresh Singh Vs. Union of India & Others.
The report brought to light the Choudhary Power Projects Private Limited’s enormous transgressions while four-laning NH-44. The residents inhabiting the surrounding area have labeled it an ‘environmental disaster’ that has been detrimental to the natural flora and fauna. Tragically, the continuous disposal of the excavated material has contaminated and choked the water bodies.
The report highlighted the negligence of concerned authorities in disposing of the generated waste in the designated dumping sites alone.
