Blatant violation of environment law in Ratle Project
*Blasting causing damages to residential houses
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Nov 26: Taking serious note of blatant violation of Environment (Protection) Act and damage to the residential houses due to unscientific blasting, the Jammu and Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) has issued show-cause notice to the agency executing Ratle Hydroelectric Project in Drabshalla area of Kishtwar before imposing hefty compensation under “Polluter Pays Principle”.
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According to the official document available with EXCELSIOR, public of Drabshalla submitted a written resolution to the Tehsildar stating therein that due to the construction work of the project their residential houses have suffered damages and some of the affected families have shifted to rental accommodation as such one-time compensation be provided to them.
Accordingly, the matter was brought to the notice of Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar and it was submitted that blasting activities conducted by M/s Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited have caused damages to the properties of the local residents and there is a need for redressal and mitigation measures to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
Deputy Commissioner further took up the matter with Principal Secretary to the Government, Power Development Department, who requested the J&K Pollution Control Committee to depute a team of experts to make on the ground assessment of the situation and take steps to secure compliance of the pollution control norms.
Accordingly, a joint committee of Pollution Control Committee conducted visit and submitted a detailed report mentioning that the causes of air and noise pollution are open blasting being carried in the construction of dam abutment and most of the approach roads are ‘Kacha’ and movement of vehicles and machineries of the project contractor are leading to emission of dust. Moreover, it was noticed that fast wind in the area is also contributing to the dust in the Drabshalla area.
In terms of specific conditions of Environmental Clearance issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, continuous monitoring for environmental flow measurement was to be installed for display of data at appropriate sites for the information of civil society, stakeholders and regulators. Moreover, equipment generating noise levels were required to have met the ambient noise standards as notified under Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000 but the joint committee noticed that no such monitoring system was in place as such there was blatant violation of the conditions of Environmental Clearance.
The joint committee recommended that M/s Ratle Hydro Power Corporation Limited and M/s Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited must ensure installation of two ambient air quality monitoring stations at construction site (upstream and downstream) and one in residential area of Drabshalla as per the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board.
Moreover, it was suggested that Ratle Hydro Power Corporation Limited and M/s Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited must ensure water sprinkling to suppress free flow of dust into atmosphere during drilling, blasting operation, muck disposal and movement of vehicles.
Acting on the report of the joint committee, the J&K Pollution Control Committee has issued show-cause notice to M/s Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited, which read: “The modus operandi adopted by you has put the environment of the area to a grave threat due to deterioration caused by unscientific manner of blasting, drilling, muck disposal and movement of vehicles besides the irreversible damage done to flora-fauna and ecosystem of the area”.
“You are directed to show-cause as to why legal action as warranted under relevant provisions of the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986 should not be taken against you. Besides, you are also directed to show-cause within 15 days as to why Environmental Compensation on the basis of Polluter Pays Principle and as per the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal for violating the conditions of Environmental Clearance and causing damage to the environment should not be levied upon you”, the notice issued to Chief Executive Officer of M/s Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited further read.
It has been made clear that in the event of non-receipt of the tenable response from the company further necessary action under relevant provisions of law will be taken without any further notice.
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