Punjab and Haryana High Court stays setting up of infra for cement factory

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, September 24

Less than a month after the change of land use (CLU) granted to a cement factory allegedly against Sangrur’s sanctioned master plan came under the judicial scanner, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stayed the laying down of “any infrastructure” for the unit. The order will remain in force at least till October 12, the next date of hearing in the case.

The direction came after the Division Bench of Justice Lisa Gill and Justice Harsh Bunger was told that all efforts were now being made for laying down the necessary infrastructure to make the factory operational at a rapid pace. This, senior advocate RS Bains with counsel Aarushi Garg submitted, was pursuant to permission being granted for setting up the cement factory, a red category industry in a purely agricultural zone.

The matter was brought to the notice of the High Court by a nonagenarian and six other residents. Among other things, they were seeking directions for quashing the permission for the CLU. In their petition, Harbinder Singh Sekhon (90), and other petitioners contended that the CLU, dated December 13, 2021, granted by the Punjab Bureau of Investment Promotion (PBIP) to the respondent-cement factory, was patently illegal and “incorrect in nature” as it was against the sanctioned master plan. Besides, it was also against the guidelines laid down by the Punjab Pollution Control Board.

The Bench was also told that the CLU for setting up the red category factory on agriculture land notified in the master plan was also “highly dangerous” to the environment as well as the people living in the vicinity. It was granted even though an amendment was not carried out in any manner in the master plan to include red category industries in the notified agriculture land.

Petitioners want CLU nod quashed

• Permission was granted for setting up the cement factory, a red category industry in a purely agricultural zone
• The matter was brought to the notice of the High Court by a nonagenarian and six other residents
• Among other things, they were seeking directions for quashing the permission for the CLU