Kullu: A petition before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) claimed that two construction companies were operating eight stone crushers on forest land in Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts without mandatory permissions, and supplying construction material to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at a scale estimated at more than Rs 30 lakh a day.The allegations, recorded in a recent NGT order, relate to stone crushers at Dhundi and Burua near Manali in Kullu district and Keling Sarai, Chika Palmo, Koksar, Gue, Zing Zing Bar and Roli in Lahaul-Spiti district.The applicant, Abhishek Rai, alleged that the crushers were installed and operated on forest land without mandatory clearances from the forest and mining departments, and the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board, among other statutory authorities.He also alleged that the companies had been extracting and supplying construction material for the BRO works on a large scale. The petition estimated the value of the supplied material at more than Rs 30 lakh per day. It claimed that the operations violated mining, environmental and forest-conservation laws.The petition also sought scrutiny of the quantity of material supplied against royalty paid. The petitioner sought verification of the two companies’ annual construction material production over the last 10 years against applicable statutory limits and permissions.The applicant further alleged that the crushers were located less than 100 metres from rivers or rivulets, violating prescribed environmental and mining norms. The petition also raised concerns over damage to forest land and the fragile Himalayan ecosystem and alleged substantial loss of govt revenue.The petition raised concerns over the alleged misuse of provisions permitting crushers for specific use in BRO projects. The applicant alleged that crushers allowed for specific project requirements were instead being operated as permanent, full-fledged units under the guise of BRO works.The petition also raised a legal issue concerning the operation of stone crushers in tribal areas like Lahaul-Spiti, alleging that non-tribal individuals are prohibited from operating such units under applicable statutory and local land laws.The NGT has asked Rai to provide complete details of the grievances, particulars of the alleged violators and affected land, along with copies of documents supporting the allegations.Rai informed the tribunal that he would file a fresh petition with the necessary factual details, parties and documents.
