HP High Court takes action on uncontrolled blasting at Luhri Hydroelectric project
Shimla, June 23
The High Court of Himachal has taken suo moto action and impleaded the State of Himachal Pradesh in a case related to damage caused by uncontrolled and unscientific blasting during the execution of the Luhri Hydroelectric Project, Phase-1, in Rampur, Shimla district.
A Division Bench, led by Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, has directed the Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh to represent the state as a party respondent in the matter. The court has expressed concerns about the potential threats to life and property due to the dumping of muck and damage to the rock, specifically above Narola village in Panchyat Neerath, Tehsil Rampur Bushahr.
To gather more information, the court has ordered the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority in Kinnaur at Rampur Bushahr to submit a detailed report on the dumping of muck and the extent of damage caused. In addition, the court has sought the assistance of the Geology Department at IIT Roorkee to evaluate the situation and provide their expert opinion on the matter.
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The Registrar of IIT Roorkee has been instructed to allocate teaching faculty from the Geology Department to inspect the site in question. To facilitate this inspection, the Government of Himachal Pradesh has been directed to provide an amount of Rs. 1.00 lakh to the Registrar of IIT Roorkee as a tentative cost.
The High Court has set a deadline of July 31, 2023, for the submission of the report by the Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority. The next hearing in this case has been scheduled for August 3, 2023.
