Air Pollution due to Stone Crusher in Kangra village : HC issues notice to authorities

Shimla.  Sep 20

Himachal Pradesh High Court today issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary(Forest), Member Secretary of H.P. State Pollution Control Board, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest(HOFF),  Deputy Commissioner of Kangra and  Sub Divisional Magistrate, Jawalamukhi,  in a matter related to  installation of Stone Crusher in Village Adhwani in violation of  the norms prescribed by the Pollution Control Board.
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 the residents of Villlage Adhwani in District Kangra.

The petitioners have alleged  that the firm owned by one Gian Chand is installing a Stone Crusher in the village despite protests from the villagers. Besides they are installing it forcibly without following the norms of the Pollution Control Board, which will be injurious to health and physical comfort of the community. The people have their homes nearby and also have cultivation and grazing lands, here. Children and aged people also go to the fields to rear cattle. The dust and pollution would cause harm to everybody. They have alleged that the  trees in the land of the villagers in the adjoining lands, will be depleted and there shall be loss of green environment.

Petitioners have alleged that the stone crusher is being installed in violation of the Rules and its distance is less than 1000 meters from Government Senior Secondary School and less than 100 meters from the water reservoir(Bawri) used by the villagers for fetching water.