Jharkhand HC pulls up Dhanbad administration for pollution
The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday took serious note of the increase in air pollution in Dhanbad and directed senior officials, including the district deputy commissioner and the senior superintendent of police, to appear in person before it on April 2.
A division bench of Chief Justice M S Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar also directed the chairman-cum-managing director of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) to appear before the court and inform what steps could be taken to check illegal mining in the district. The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a non-profit organisation, Gramin Ekta Manch, seeking intervention to check rising pollution in the coal city.
The petitioner organisation submitted that rampant illegal mining in Dhanbad had led to an increase in air pollution in the district.
It is alleged that the authorities had failed to control illegal mining and, as a result, pollution remained unchecked. The court also directed the Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) chairman-cum-managing director to appear in person in this connection.
In the course of arguments, the court was informed by the BCCL counsel that the coal company has taken steps to convert mines into parks for public use.
The BCCL has registered several FIRs for illegal mining, but no action has been taken by police and the district administration, the counsel informed the court.
