Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 8: Aggrieved over the disregard for norms and breach of SC and NGT directives by the mushroom growth of pollution creating units in Jammu region which have caused huge ecological imbalance besides health hazards, Harsh Dev Singh, chairman of JKNPP, sought the personal indulgence of the Governor to stem the rot in the interest of the public health and hygiene.
He accused the defiant industrialists of enriching their coffers at the cost of lives of common people in collusion with the corrupt functionaries in the Government. Harsh was addressing a press conference in Jammu on Thursday.
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Coming down heavily on the pollution creating industries particularly pesticides, chemical, cements and others, Harsh Dev Singh sought a review of the licenses granted to them in the light of recommendations made by Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal.
The former Minister said that during his several visits to villages in Kathua, Udhampur, Samba, Vijaypur and Bari Brahmana earlier, he was apprised by locals that several pesticides namely Carbofuran, Chlorpyrifos, Phorate, Atazine, Monocrotophos, etc declared as extremely hazardous by WHO were being produced without any check what so ever.
Anguished over the huge environmental and ecological degradation, besides serious health hazards caused by growth of un-authorized brick-kilns, hot mix plants and illegal stone crushers operational in and around Jammu, Harsh further accused the Government departments of issuing NoCs and allowing immunity to influential offenders including ex-Ministers, sitting MPs and legislators.
Referring to the reply sought through an RTI filed by him, he made a startling revelation that during the years from 2015 to 2018, the Department of Forests blatantly issued NOCs to operate in favour of 985 such units which had never happened before in the last 50 years.
Drawing the attention of Governor towards the polluting pesticide plants, eco-disturbing stone crushers installed on river beds or in the vicinity of schools, habitations, forests, hospitals etc in violation of rules, he demanded that they should be immediately disbanded with action under law against the violators.
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