Srinagar, Apr 26: Inhabitants of Bandipora have challenged the action of Hindustan Construction Company to install stone crushers in the area “in absence of NoC from the departments concerned.”
 The petition filed in a representative character has accused the company of installing the stone crushers in the area without seeking NoC from departments concerned.
 The petitioners have prayed before the court that respondents including Chief Engineer, NHPC and Project Manager, HCC be asked to explain “how the stone crushers have been installed by the HCC without obtaining proper permission/NoC from the concerned departments required in terms of law.”
 Petitioners through their advocate Bhat Fayaz have pleaded before the court that the stone crushers have been installed at environmentally sensitive places “which is completely in violation of the sitting criteria prescribed in terms of SPCB norms.”
 “The crushers are health hazardous and spread strong environment pollutants, ecological pollutants. Therefore the operation of these crushers is in violation of law and is legally untenable and beyond the parameters of the law as such operation of these stone crushers deserves to be stopped forthwith.”
 Pertinently, one of the petitioners namely Nasir Ahmad had earlier filed an RTI application seeking information with reference to some letters pertaining to “unauthorized running of HCC stone crushers.”
 The petitioner had come to know from replies to his application that no permission had been sought for the installation of stones crushers at Kralpora and Buddwan Gurez.
 The copy of the letters provided to the petitioner reveal “how activities of HCC were going on illegally under the very nose of the authorities causing pollution and destroying the forest cover despite the public outcry.”
 The petitioner alleged that “in blatant violation of rules governing environmental protection in Jammu and Kashmir, HCC crusher units in the area are not undertaking the measures to minimize the pollution levels.”
 “As per SPCB norms, there should be three rows of trees encircling the stone crusher for reducing the impact of dust emission. But not a single tree has been planted around the crusher”, the petition reads.
 “The dust also adversely affects visibility, reduces growth of vegetation and hampers aesthetic sight of the area. It can also cause lung cancer and several other ailments after entering into a human body,” locals added.
 Meanwhile, the High Court on hearing the counsel for the petitioners has issued notice under Order 1 Rule 8.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 IST