Himachal HC takes note of illegal dumping of debris in Chamba

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 5 : The High Court of Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday took serious note of the illegal dumping of road muck and debris in non-designated sites and in the catchment areas of the village Motla in Chamba district.

The Court has directed the Engineer-in-Chief, HPPWD to identify the official(s) who are overseeing this work and initiate appropriate disciplinary action against them for not ensuring that the Contractor/Sub Contractor, who are engaged to do this road work, utilize the designated sites for dumping instead of dumping the muck all over the valley/roadside/in the forest areas/catchment areas.

The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice, M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel, passed this order on a Public Interest Litigation, filed by one Sanjeevan Singh, Up-Pradhan, Gram Panchayat, Motla, Tehsil Sihunta, District Chamba.

The petitioner has alleged that the contractor while carrying out the work of widening of road Motla to Sukhiyar, has illegally and carelessly disposed of the muck/debris along the hill slopes and also in the streams near the village Motla.

During the rainy season, illegally dumped muck came along with the water in the stream running through the village and endangered the lives of the people and also caused severe damage to the property in the village. It has been also alleged that there has been complete inaction on the part of authorities. Several complaints were made to the authorities but nothing has been done in the matter so far.

Earlier the Court directed the Secretary District Legal Services Authority, Chamba to inspect the site in question and file a report in this regard. After perusal of such report, the Court found that there has been damage to the residential houses, Government buildings and damage to the agricultural fields, and illegal dumping in forest land.

The learned Advocate General assured the Court that concrete steps would be taken within two weeks, to clear the area of the muck and appropriate action would be initiated against the Contractor(s) found liable for such illegal dumping.

The matter has been adjourned for July 31, 2023.