Down To Earth brings you top environmental cases heard in Supreme Court, high courts & National Green Tribunal
A two-member joint committee was directed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) May 21, 2024 to look into allegations of waste being dumped on the side of Jawahar Nagar bypass road, Jaipur, Rajasthan, leading to problems for vehicles using the road and affecting the health of the nearby residents.
The committee comprising a representative from the collectorate of Jaipur and Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board was directed to visit the place and submit the factual and action taken report.
According to the complaint, Jaipur Nagar Nigam, Jaipur Heritage gave permission for erection of mobile tower on road side land. While digging the Jawahar Nagar bypass road, the existing sewer line was damaged resulting in sewage water seeping into houses of nearby residents.
It was further submitted that not only was the sewer line damaged on Jawahar Nagar Bypass road but there was also failure to properly collect and dispose of municipal solid waste.
Solid waste was getting dumped on the roadside, causing traffic congestion because this bypass road is used by heavy vehicles like trucks and buses to cross Jaipur.
The illegal dumping site has seriously violated the right to life of nearby residents, as they are unable to breathe properly. The applicant alleged that the threat to local residents is increasing every day with commercial vehicles plying the road, scavenging animals becoming aggressive as waste from meat shops and hotels is being dumped and there is a permanent toxic smell at the dump site.
The contention of the applicant was that rule 15 of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and provisions contained in Section 45 of the Rajasthan Municipality Act 2009 have not been properly implemented and followed.
NGT directed the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the mining department May 21 to periodically monitor the activities in the Tamia area, Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh for illegal mining and violation of environmental rules. Violators should be prosecuted and levied an environmental compensation, said the order passed by NGT, central zonal bench, Bhopal.
A news story in Patrika News published December 18, 2023 reported that three tractors loaded with the sand were seized 24 kilometres from Tamia. No action was being taken against perpetrators who were openly engaging in illegal sand mining, the news publication claimed.
The joint committee constituted on the orders of NGT found no person / machinery engaged in illegal mining while inspecting the area. But the committee was informed by local villagers that some days ago, before the date of inspection, some vehicles were engaged in sand mining and they were seized by the government officials.
NGT directed the Department of Mines and Geology, the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board and others to submit a response regarding the complaint of illegal mining taking place in Hanutpura village, Shahpura tehsil, Jaipur district, Rajasthan.
The green court also ordered a three-member joint committee to visit the site and submit a factual and action taken report within six weeks.
The order was in relation to an application that alleged mining operations were being carried out day and night in violation of environmental laws, not only in the allotted lease area but also outside. It was further alleged that green areas of the hill have been damaged with high use of explosives and heavy earth movers, affecting human life and health as well as flora and fauna of the area.
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