NGT directs state pollution board to inspect brick-kilns at Jhajjar village

Tribune News Service

Ravinder Saini

Jhajjar, April 3

Brick-kilns being operated in and outside Siwana village under the Beri block have come under the scanner of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB).

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) while hearing a petition has directed the local authorities of the HSPCB to verify whether the brick-kilns are adhering to environmental norms or not? It has also directed it to submit its compliance and action-taken report within the next two months.

Labourers were burning wood

Sources said the NGT heard the case on March 21 and the gram sarpanch, Suresh Kumar, in his statement on that day said labourers at the brick-kilns located in Siwana and nearby areas also used the wood for burning and other purposes. It also caused air pollution.

The NGT has issued the directives after the Siwana gram panchayat sarpanch, Suresh Kumar, made a statement during the recent hearing of a case pertaining to the illegal felling of 169 green trees on the panchayat land in the village.

"In the course of hearing, the sarpanch stated that there were about 14 to 15 brick-kilns in the vicinity of Siwana village where employed labourers also used to cut trees from the village for different purposes. Taking a serious view of the statement, the NGT directed the HSPCB officials to verify that the environment norms were being followed by the brick-kilns or not," Satyavan Ahlawat, Social Education Panchayat Officer, Beri, said.

Notably, Naresh Kadian, a resident of Siwana village, filed a petition in the NGT accusing the gram sarpanch of cutting 400 green trees illegally in the village last year. Acting on the complaint, the NGT had directed the district authorities to inquire into the matter.

Later, an inquiry committee formed by the Deputy Commissioner in this respect inspected the site and found 169 trees were axed in the village. On March 15, the District Forest officer assessed the price of the trees which was Rs 2,70,685. Thereafter, the village sarpanch was directed to deposit the trees' cost in the gram panchayat fund and sow 250 plants in the village to enhance the green cover.

Sources said the NGT heard the case on March 21 and the gram sarpanch, Suresh Kumar, in his statement on that day said labourers at the brick-kilns located in Siwana and nearby areas also used the wood for burning and other purposes. It also caused air pollution.

"Then, the NGT directed the local officials of the HSPCB to undertake visits to Siwana village for verifying the number of brick-kilns operating there and compliance of the environmental norms by them," observed the NGT in its orders issued after the hearing. Siwana village Sarpanch Suresh Kumar on being contacted refused to share any details about the case while Amit Dahiya, SDO, HSPCB, said they would soon inspect all brick-kilns located in Siwana and nearby areas to verify the compliance of the environmental norms. "After the inspection, a report will be submitted to the NGT in this respect," he added.

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#Environment #Jhajjar #National Green Tribunal NGT #Pollution