Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 28: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a report from the Jammu & Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) within five weeks concerning alleged violations of environmental norms in the Rajwar forest area of North Kashmir’s Kupwara under the Handwara-Bangus road project.
Presided over by Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, and Dr. A. Senthil Vel, Expert Member, the Tribunal took note of the matter filed by Advocate Rasikh Rasool Bhat, who is also the applicant.
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In its order issued on April 25, 2024, the Tribunal noted that a report had been submitted on behalf of the Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment, Government of J&K, referring to the report of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), which, it said, “discloses illegal felling of trees and illegal earth cutting.”
The NGT’s Principal Bench has directed the applicant to include the Jammu & Kashmir Pollution Control Committee (JKPCC) through its Member Secretary and serve the newly added respondent within 10 days.
“The newly added respondent will file the report within a period of five weeks covering all points, including the issue of grant of environmental clearance, extraction of gravel, cutting/damaging the trees, and causing other environmental violations in the execution of the project,” stated the Tribunal.
Additionally, the Counsel representing the Forest Department, J&K, informed the Tribunal that a further report reflecting the status of environmental clearance and extraction of gravel will be filed within four weeks.
“The report on behalf of the Geology and Mining Department, Kupwara, has been filed, but no material has been disclosed in that report,” added the bench in its order.
Notably, in the original application, the matter concerning the violation of environmental norms and extraction of gravel from the stream of local Talri Nallah at village Chalpor of Rajwar forest area of Kupwara in the execution of the work on the Handwara-Bangus road project (state-highway) was brought to the fore.
It was alleged that authorities permitted extraction of gravel from the local stream, resulting in the cutting/uprooting of lush green forest trees and blasting of big mountains.
The application also highlighted the absence of information regarding environmental clearance and the use of over 14 hectares of forest land to construct the road.
Moreover, it was asserted that 25,000 trees were cut/uprooted, and due to unabated and unchecked mining, a bridge collapsed at Bakiaker Rajwar.
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