Shimla, Jan 9,
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued notices to the state government, the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board (HPPCB), and several officials in response to allegations of widespread violations by stone crushers in the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) area of Solan district. The petition, filed by Krishna Kumar of Baddi, accuses the stone crushers of operating beyond the terms of their leases and causing environmental degradation and financial losses to the state.
Justice Sandeep Sharma, after a preliminary hearing, directed responses within four weeks from the Principal Secretaries of Industries and Home, the Director of Industries, the State Geologist, the Mining Officer of Solan, the Member Secretary of HPPCB, and regional officers, including the DC Solan, SP Baddi, and the Regional Transport Officer.
Allegations against Stone Crushers
The petitioner claims that stone crusher units, including those owned by Congress MLA Ram Kumar Chaudhary, have installed multiple crushing units on leased land instead of a single permitted unit. This has led to massive overextraction of minerals, with hundreds of trucks now being used for transportation compared to the 10-20 trucks initially permitted. Specific units named in the petition include Shiv Bhole Stone Crusher, Kundlas Stone Crusher, Rama Stone Crusher, Gupta Stone Crusher, and Doon Stone Crusher.
The petitioner has demanded stringent measures, including Installation of CCTV cameras at all crusher sites, Establishment of check posts and weighbridges to monitor mineral extraction and transportation and deployment of similar mechanisms on the Himachal-Punjab border to prevent illegal transport of minerals.
The petition also raises concerns about regulatory lapses by Pollution Control Board officials. Despite over 200 complaints about illegal mining and unauthorized pharma company operations in the area, no concrete action has been taken. It is alleged that several pharma companies are running without necessary approvals, and more than 100 applications for new permissions remain pending.
Additionally, the petitioner highlighted a May 2024 demand letter submitted to SP Baddi, requesting action against illegal mining and the establishment of monitoring infrastructure, which also went unaddressed.
The petitioner asserts that the mining mafia’s unchecked activities are causing severe environmental damage and financial losses to the state treasury. The court has sought explanations from the officials and directed them to investigate and address the allegations.
The case has brought to light systemic negligence and alleged collusion, which the court will examine further after receiving the responses.
