Illegal muck dumping in forest areas: Himachal HC impleads MoEF as party

Feeling distressed at this irresponsible conduct on the part of the NHAI in not controlling the contractors and preventing them from dumping muck in forest areas, the Himachal HC has suo motu impleaded the Union of India, through Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Transport, as parties to the petition.

The High Court of Himachal has taken a serious note of the irresponsible conduct on the part of the officials of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), in not controlling the contractors and preventing them from dumping muck in forest areas.

The HC of Himachal has taken a serious note of the irresponsible conduct on the part of the officials of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), in not controlling the contractors and preventing them from dumping muck in forest areas. (Getty Images/ Representational image)

Feeling distressed at this irresponsible conduct on the part of the NHAI, the court has suo motu impleaded the Union of India, through Ministry of Environment and Forests and Ministry of Transport, as parties to the petition.

A Division Bench, comprising chief justice MS Ramachandra Rao and justice Ajay Mohan Goel, passed this order on the petition filed by Fourlane Visthapit and Prabhavit Samiti. The petitioner has alleged that the contractors of NHAI, who have been entrusted the work of widening/ construction of four-lane Kiratpur - Nerchowk National Highway, are illegally dumping muck in the forest areas.

To fix accountability on NHAI, the Deputy Solicitor General of India, appearing on behalf of newly implead respondents, has been directed to file a response on as to what it intends to do to ensure that the officials of NHAI do not permit muck dumping either in the forest areas of the state or near water bodies and for removal of the muck already dumped by their contractors.