Himachal HC orders action in muck dumping case

Shimla, July 4

The High Court has taken a serious note of illegal dumping of road muck and debris at non-designated sites and in the catchment areas of the Motla village in Sihunta tehsil of Chamba district.

The court has directed the Engineer-in-Chief, HPPWD to identify the official(s), who are overseeing this work and initiate appropriate disciplinary action against them for not ensuring that the contractor/sub-contractor, who are engaged to do this road work, utilise the designated sites for dumping instead of dumping the muck all over the valley/roadside/in the forest areas/catchment areas.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel passed this orders on a Public Interest Litigation filed by one Sanjeevan Singh.

The court observed, “We are also shocked to note from the affidavit of Engineer-in-Chief, HPPWD that five of the designated dumping sites are located in the catchment areas of the nullah. Prima facie, such locations could be disastrous because admittedly the dumping sites are located above the water tank.”