Aurangabad | Jul 20, 2016: The National Green Tribunal, Western Zone Bench, Pune has issued notices to the respondents, including the state government, directing them to remain present by the next hearing in the petition alleged illegal mining at Rampuri village, about 20 km from Aurangabad.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled on August 9, 2016. The direction came after an application was filed with the green tribunal by Ajanta International Vipassana Samiti and some farmers demanding environmental protection in the vicinity, which was disturbed by the illegal mining taking place in the village.
The NGT bench comprising justices U D Salvi and Ajay Deshpande in its order on July 4, 2016 issued notices to the respondents, including Popatlal Chordiya, Krishna Bankar, Maharashtra government, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, the Aurangabad district collector and the Aurangabad deputy director of directorate of geology and mining and directed them to remain present at the next hearing which is scheduled to be held on August 9, 2016.
The applicants, Ajanta International Vipassana Samiti and five farmers from Rampuri village, with the help of advocate Asim Sarode raised the serious issue of illegal mining. The petition said the activity is in violation of various laws and rules related to environmental protection, such as the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the respondents, Chordiya and Bankar, started illegal mining business of stone crushing without obtaining any permission or licence from any of the competent authorities.
The petition said this illegal mining business in gut number 41 in Rampuri village is causing air and noise pollution and the calmness and quietness of Vipassana centre is being disturbed. Heavy machineries like compressor, drilling, earth moving machine and blasting operation are being carried out causing noise pollution, said the applicant.
The applicants also said that due to air pollution and spreading of dust particles, the agricultural produce and standing crops in the field have got affected and agricultural income of the farmers reduced to a great extent.
The applicants also claimed that they obtained information under the Right to Information Act (RTI) from the office of Aurangabad district collector, the deputy director, directorate of geology & mining, regional office MPCB Aurangabad and environment and forest departments, Aurangabad, that revealed that no permission has been granted to anybody for mining stones or excavation of stones in gut number 41 of Rampuri village.
Despite registering complaints with the district collector and MPBC, no action was initiated to stop the illegal mining activity, said the petition, adding that the competent authorities too were responsible for environmental damage caused as they turned blind eye to the issue.
The petition said that vipassana can be used to develop a healthy mind and is actually a mental training. Therefore, for going to the stage of Vipassana Meditation, silence is very important. Even slight noise can break the concentration and disturbs the disciples of Vipassana. In the hall of meditation, no one is allowed to talk with each other. However, with stone crushing activities in nearby areas, all the processes of Vipassana have been disturbed, said the applicants in the petition.
"The dust generated by the stone crusher industry is not only limited to causing health hazards to people in the vicinity and causing adverse effects on agriculture but it also is detrimental to the Bio-Diversity to some extent," said advocate Sarode.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)