JK News Today

Jammu, April 05:

Levelling serious allegations of harassment on BJP’s cabinet minister in J&K, Choudhary Lal Singh, a Sarpanch Sanjeev Gupta, from Chann Arorian area of Hiranagar has threatened to sit on a fast unto death outside the residence of the Forests Minister.

Addressing a press conference here today Gupta, the Sarpanch and a businessman of the area alleged that Minister has been threatening his staff in the State Pollution Control Board, Jammu against granting a No Objection Certificate for running of a crusher despite orders of the J&K High Court twice for the same. He said that whenever he goes to the SPCB official, they ask him to “Meet” Minister for Forests Choudhary Lal Singh. “Why should I meet Forest Minister when I have a bonafide right of having a No Objection Certificate for running my legal business,” he asked.

Sanjeev Gupta said that J&K High Court order in his writ petition the petitioner inter alia seeks a direction to the respondents to consider and decide the application filed by the petitioner seeking renewal of its consent order. The petitioner also seeks a direction to the respondents to restore the electricity connection of the petitioner unit snapped earlier by the respondent PDD immediately after the renewal of its consent order.

The fact giving rise to the filing to this writ petition briefly stated are that petitioner is operating Stone Crusher Unit after obtaining statutory permission. The petitioner was initially issued consent order by the J&K state pollution Control Board in the year 2013. Thereafter, in the years 2014 & 2015, the Petitioner had applied for renewal of the aforesaid consent order. However, no action in the application submitted by the Petitioner has been taken by respondent and order 29/07/2016 has been issued, by which closure of the Petitioner unit has been directed. In the aforesaid factual background, the Petitioner has approached this court.

HC further observed that the counsel for the Petitioner submitted that the competent authority of the J&k state population control board has received renewal fee of Rs. 8900/-  and therefore, the said authority is under statutory obligation to decide the application submitted by the Petitioner for renewal of the consent order. On the other hand, learned counsel for the respondents SPCB submitted that suitable action in accordance with law shall be taken in the application of the Petitioner by the competent authority by a speaking order.

The High Court observed that I have considered the submissions made by the learned counsel for the parties and have perused the record. Undoubtedly, the competent authority of the J&K State Pollution Control Board is under statutory obligation to decide the application submitted by the Petitioner, especially in view of the fact that it has accepted the renewal fee in this regard.

In the fact and circumstances of the case, I deem it appropriate to dispose of the writ Petition with a direction to the competent authority of the J&K State Pollution Control Board to decide the application submitted by the Petitioner for renewal of the consent order by a speaking order within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of the order passed today. Till decision on the application of the Petitioner is taken direction dated 31-12-2016 shall continue.