The high court of Himachal Pradesh on Monday issued notices to the chief secretary, principal secretary (forest), member secretary of HP State Pollution Control Board, principal chief conservator of forest, Kangra deputy commissioner and Jwalamukhi subdivisional magistrate in a matter related to the installation of a stone crusher in Adhwani village in violation of the norms prescribed by the pollution control board.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed these orders on a petition taken up suo motu as a PIL on a letter addressed to the chief justice by residents of Adhwani in Kangra.
The petitioners have stated that the firm owned by one Gian Chand is installing a stone crusher in their village despite protest from the villagers and are installing it forcibly without following the norms of the pollution control board, which will be injurious to the health and physical comfort of the community.
The people have their homes nearby and also have cultivation land and grazing lands for cattle. Children and aged people also go the fields to rear the cattle and cultivation and the dust and pollution will cause harm to everybody, they said. They have alleged that the trees on the land of the villagers in the adjoining areas will be damaged and there will be loss of green environment.
The petitioners have alleged that the stone crusher is being installed in violation of the rules and its distance is less than 1km from a government senior secondary school and less than 100 metres from the water reservoir (bawri) used by the villagers for fetching water. Moreover, the crusher is being installed within a distance of 500 metres from settlement. They have prayed that the installation of the stone crusher be stopped immediately to protect the life and health of the villagers and also to safeguard the future generations from the harmful effects of the environmental degradation, which will be brought about by the stone crusher.
{{/usCountry}}The petitioners have alleged that the stone crusher is being installed in violation of the rules and its distance is less than 1km from a government senior secondary school and less than 100 metres from the water reservoir (bawri) used by the villagers for fetching water. Moreover, the crusher is being installed within a distance of 500 metres from settlement. They have prayed that the installation of the stone crusher be stopped immediately to protect the life and health of the villagers and also to safeguard the future generations from the harmful effects of the environmental degradation, which will be brought about by the stone crusher.
{{/usCountry}}The court has also issued a notice to the respondent, Gian Chand, and posted the matter after two weeks.