Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 28: Several farmers in Rangeen Kultreh village of Chadoora district Budgam today alleged that some illegal brick kilns are being illegally constructed in the village on agriculture, and horticulture land.
They said that the set-up not only violates the environmental laws but is also a clear violation of Air Force guidelines wherein no brick kiln can be set up around 8 km of aerial distance from the airport area.
The aggrieved apple farmers Abdul Gani Bhat and others had moved to High Court to seek judicial intervention against the order of the Member Secretary Pollution Control Committee who gave consent for the establishment of a brick kiln in favour of M/S Mughloo Brick Kiln and Rangeen Brick Kiln.
The petitioners Abdul Gani Bhat and others challenged the consent order dated 24.11.2022 before High Court saying that Pollution Control Committee District officer Budgam on 12th March 2022 had refused to issue the consent order and other departments had also raised their serious concern over this issue.
High Court Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal on March 2nd 2023 while hearing the case issued notices to the Member Secretary Pollution Control Committee, DC Budgam, District Officer Pollution Control Committee Budgam and Tehsildar Chadoora to explain their position.
“We have been fighting the legal battle against the issuance of the consent order in favour of the two brick kilns and now a third one is also coming up and that too without any consent. This is a matter of grave concern,” said Abdul Gani Bhat the aggrieved apple grower who owns 30 kanals of apple farm near these proposed illegal kilns
Pertinent to mention here, more than 1000 almond trees have been axed on the karewa land in Rangeen Kultreh in Budgam last year by some land owners who want to lease out their land for brick kilns as they claim that almond trees did not fetch them good revenue.
The petitioner’s Advocate M Ashraf Wani said that setting up of brick kilns in Rangeen Kultreh Chadoora is a violation of the High Court division bench order.
Notably, J&K Pollution Control Committee earlier gave its consent to set up two brick kilns namely Mughloo Brick Kiln and Rangeen Brick Kiln in Rangeen Kultreh village of Chadoora in Budgam. The said consent order was challenged in the High Court and notice was issued to Chairman PCC by the court.
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