Public hearing on clearance of riverbed project

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 6

The Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Board today conducted a public hearing for environmental clearance for a minor minerals (riverbed materials) project at Bein river in Ghagwal tehsil in Samba district in compliance with the notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

The panel for the public hearing comprised Sayed Nadeem Hussain, Regional Director, Pollution Control Board, Ritu Mahajan, SDM, Ghagwal, and Angraze Singh, Divisional Officer, PCB, Samba (South).

The public hearing was attended by a large number of persons, including panches, sarpanches of adjoining panchayats/villages like Tapyal, Rei, Chack Raghu, Badla, Gagwal and Sararetc.

Sayed Nadeem Hussain briefed those present about the importance of conducting the public hearing. Various issues related to mining were raised and discussed by the public during the course of the proceedings.

The queries raised by people were answered in detail by Anand Gupta, consultant of project proponent from M/s Globus Environment Engineering Services.

The proceedings of the hearing were recorded by videography and the public was assured that their genuine suggestions would be incorporated in the report to be sent to the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) for the grant of environment clearance.