Kishtwar Admin Orders FIR Against NHIDCL, Pvt Contractor For Environment Norm Violations

Jammu, Nov 12: The Kishtwar district administration on Friday ordered police to register a case against the contractor company and the central government-owned NHIDCL for “indiscriminate” dumping of muck, officials said. The directions were issued by the district administration for action against a contractor company and the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) for alleged violation of environmental norms while executing the work on a national highway in the district.

Taking cognisance of a report submitted by Tehsildar Drabshalla about indiscriminate dumping of muck and debris by the contractor company R&B Infra Project Private Limited and NHIDCL, a fully owned company of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Kishori Lal Sharma directed Station House Officer (SHO) Kishtwar to lodge an FIR against the erring agency under relevant provisions. As reported by the local administration, the private executing agency dumped debris and muck on the land acquired for a hydro-electric power project at Salana village, they said.

The civil administration informed that the huge quantity of muck dumped in this land will adversely affect the prestigious Rattle project and also causes huge loss to the government exchequer, they added. The report further reads that unscientific dumping of muck and debris at unspecified locations along NH-244 leads to severe damage to the flora and fauna of this ecologically fragile area.

Besides, the debris also goes into the Chenab river leading to irreparable damage to its physical and biological features which bears offences and are punishable under Environment Protection Act, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act besides it leads to a public nuisance in the area, the officials said. Keeping in view the reported facts, SHO Kishtwar was directed to lodge FIR under relevant provisions of the law in the matter as per the norms against the erring agency namely R&B Infra Project Private Ltd and NHIDCL, the officials said.

Besides, the Kishtwar SHO has been directed to take all vehicles involved in such illegal activities under his custody till further directions, they said.

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