Plea Against Environmental Clearances For Mining In Earthquake Prone Bageshwar

 The State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) has been asked by the National Green Tribunal (NGT)  of Uttarakhand to respond to an application filed against a grant of Environmental Clearances given for a mining project in Bageshwar region. The application cites that the area is prone to earthquakes and close to a reserve forest. Just earlier this month, an earthquake measuring 2.5 on the Richter Scale had hit Bageshwar. 

According to petitioner Suraj Singh Karki, the applications have been filed against the order of November 9, 2020 issuing the Environmental Clearances as well as granting a lease for five years in the earthquake-prone area to the respondents - Ramesh Chandra Singh and Manish Nand Kishore Agrawal. 

The appellants in their plea note that the environmental clearances are in violation of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification dated September 14, 2006. 

"They ignore degradation of wildlife habitats. The area is close to the reserved forest and no EIA has been conducted in respect of mining cluster as required and no public hearing has taken place," the plea read. 

NGT Chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel stated that the appellant may serve a notice to the respondents and file an affidavit of service within a week. The NGT bench has also directed to constitute a joint committee comprising the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), District Magistrate (DM), and the Regional Office of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). 

The matter has been listed for further consideration on April 29.