Best Lawyers in Chandigarh ‘NGT order ignored’

Tribune News Service

Ropar, October 31

RTI activist and lawyer Dinesh Chadha has alleged that the authorities are not taking any action against illegal mining despite National Green Tribunal (NGT) directions in this regard.

Chadha had filed an application before the NGT, seeking directions to stop illegal mining in the district. On January 31, the four-member principal Bench of the NGT had asked a joint committee, comprising members of the Central Pollution Control Board, Punjab Director Mining, and Punjab State Pollution Control Board (PPCB), to take remedial measures to stop illegal mining and assess damage. The tribunal had also ordered action against the erring officials within two months.

In a press conference today, Chadha said nothing had been done by the authorities concerned even nine months after the order.

He said the PPCB, the nodal agency of the joint committee, had written to the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC))-cum-Nodal Officer, Mining, in February this year to implement the NGT order. However, no action was taken on it, he alleged.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Sumeet Jarangal said the sites were submerged since the monsoon so the assessment of damage could not be done. He said it would be done once water recedes.

He said the administration had already written to the Mining Department regarding action against erring officers.

Best Lawyers in Chandigarh High Court