The principal bench of the National Green Tribunal has admitted an application filed by the Kunkaleshwar Mohalla Pauri social welfare society requesting that the stand of the affected persons also be heard regarding the order prohibiting non-forestry work, closure of a hot mix plant, stone crusher and disposal of garbage in the Gadoli-Mandakhal area in Pauri district.
The NGT has fixed the hearing for August 28 with directions to submit all relevant documents in support of the application.
The application filed by the social welfare society’s vice-president Malay Negi states that the view of the affected persons was not heard by the tribunal before the issuance of the direction halting non-forestry work and closure of hot mix plant, stone crusher and garbage dumping on 231.94 hectare land at Gadoli-Mandakhal area.
The NGT had earlier ordered the halt hearing an application filed Subir Mario Chowfin against the Union of India and seven other respondents after an affidavit was filed by the Additional Secretary, Forest, Government of Uttarakhand, in the tribunal with the copy of the report of the committee constituted in furtherance to the orders of the tribunal dated April 29, 2014. The affidavit stated that the 231.94 hectares land should be declared forest land and no non-forestry activity should be permitted on it while also admitting that there had been unauthorised tree felling and that the hot mixing plant was being operated illegally.
The president of the social welfare society, Matbar Singh Negi, informed media persons here that the NGT order passed in the last week of May has affected 300 families in the area. In the application, the society stated that the affected persons had not been given a chance to clarify their position as they were not respondents in the case.
Negi said that the affected will submit their land registry papers, electricity bills and other relevant documents as required by the NGT in support of the application.
He averred that the NGT order had rendered the local youth without employment as they had purchased land here for self-employment but all works have been stopped here following the NGT order.
The family members of the late CH Chowfin and late DA Chowfin were involved in a dispute regarding the land with the case pending in the Supreme Court, added Negi.