The High Court of Himachal Pradesh  today issued notices to the Chief Secretary to the Government of H.P., Chairman, H.P. State Pollution Control Board, Deputy Commissioner, Hamirpur, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Nadaun and Secretary, Gram Panchayat, Jol Sapper,  in a matter related to  installation of   Stone Crusher in Gram Panchayat Jol Sapper in District Hamirpur, H.P. alleged to be adversely affecting the environment and ecology of the area.

Division Bench comprising the Acting Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed these orders on a petition taken up suo moto by the Court as Public Interest Litigation on a letter addressed to the Chief Justice by one Dalip Singh.  The petitioner has alleged  that one Shri Ramesh Kumar applied for No-Objection Certificate from the Gram Panchayat Jol Sapper, for the purpose of setting up of a Stone Crusher  and the Panchayat issued the same, without considering its  adverse impact on the area. He has alleged that alongwith the crusher, there is a water lifting project installed in the Kunah Khad, which is on the verge of closure  as the water level is constantly going down. 

The petitioner has alleged  that one Shri Ramesh Kumar applied for No-Objection Certificate from the Gram Panchayat Jol Sapper, for the purpose of setting up of a Stone Crusher  and the Panchayat issued the same, without considering its  adverse impact on the area. He has alleged that alongwith the crusher, there is a water lifting project installed in the Kunah Khad, which is on the verge of closure  as the water level is constantly going down. 

He has also alleged that due to the stone crusher even the green fodder of the cattle is getting polluted and dust is settling on the trees and the entire environment is getting polluted. He has alleged that the heavily loaded tippers are damaging the link roads connecting the National Highway, which have been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana.

He has  further alleged that the mining in the ravine is being carried out to a depth of 30-40 feet and Mining Rules are being violated, but the mining officials have never visited the spot despite such glaring violations. He has alleged that  on account of indiscriminate mining, water level of the hand pumps are also decreasing considerably and  in addition to this, the health of the humans and animals are also being adversely affected. 

It is alleged that ailments like asthama are on the rise in the area, which is aggravating the already alarming situation created on account of the corona pandemic. He has alleged that a house near the ravine has been badly damaged due to deeply dug pits in the ravine and the entire village is in danger.  He has prayed for shutting down the  stone crusher immediately, in view of the damage being caused by the same.