NGT seeks reply from crusher, 4 screening plants in Y’nagar

Tribune News Service

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Yamunanagar, April 20

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has passed an order for issuing notices to four screening plants and one stone crusher in connection with the alleged violation of environmental norms in Yamunanagar district despite the fact that a joint committee of the Haryana Government had given clean chit to these plants.

The NGT asked its Registry to issue notices through District Magistrate, Yamunanagar, to these screening plants and stone crushers (respondents number 7 to 11) requiring them to file their reply/response within three months.

Violating green norms

• As per complainant, four screening plants in Kohliwala village and one stone crusher in Mandewala village are being run in violation of environmental norms
• He also alleged that khair trees were cut illegally from panchayat/shamlat land in those villages to undertake illegal mining

According to information, Balwinder Kumar in his complaint to the NGT sent in 2022 had alleged that illegal mining had been going on at panchayat/shamlat land in Kohliwala and Mandewala villages falling under Bhudkalan gram panchayat of Yamunanagar district since 2016.

He also alleged that khair trees were cut illegally from panchayat/shamlat land in those villages to undertake illegal mining.

He further alleged that four screening plants situated in Kohliwala village and one stone crusher located in Doiwala village, were also being run in violation of environmental norms.

According to information, passing an order on July 26, 2022, the NGT constituted a joint committee, comprising officers of the Haryana Government with direction to submit factual and action taken report.

In compliance of the said order, two reports of the joint committee were submitted on December 30, 2022, and March 20, 2023. Sources said in its report submitted to the NGT on March 20, the joint committee gave clean chit to four screening plants and one stone crusher in connection with alleged violation of environmental norms.

As per the report of the joint committee, these plants fulfil all sitting parameters. They have all required documents and have obtained consent to establish and consent to operate from the Haryana State Pollution Control Board.

In its report, the joint committee also submitted that no negligence was committed to stop illegal mining and illegal felling of khair trees.

However, the order of the NGT, passed by Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, Judicial Member, and Dr Afroz Ahmad, Expert Member, on March 23 reads: “In view of the averments made in the application and observations in the reports of the joint committee, particularly the facts regarding large scale illegal mining and felling of trees leading to registration of number of FIRs, we also consider it appropriate to have response of the said four screening plants, situated in Kohliwala village and one stone crusher in Doiwala village, who stand impleaded as respondents number 7 to 11.”

Next date for hearing of this case has been fixed for August 24.

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