The Public Action Committee (PAC) has welcomed the order passed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) concerning the operation of the Municipal Corporation’s hot mix plant, situated on Hambran Road, opposite Haibowal Dairy Complex, within the MC limits.
The Tribunal has directed the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to verify allegations regarding environmental violations and take remedial action in accordance with law within a stipulated time frame.
The applicants, Kapil Arora, Kuldeep Singh Khaira, Jaskirat Singh, Amandeep Bains, Gurpreet Singh Plaha, Vikas Arora and Mohit Saggar, had raised serious concerns regarding the operation of the hot mix plant in a densely populated residential area and the illegal storage of construction material in the designated green belt and park areas inside the Dairy Complex.
It was pointed out that such activities are in clear violation of the PPCB’s Hot Mix Plant Sitting Guidelines, which prohibit establishment and operation of such polluting units within 5 km of the MC limits as well as near residential localities and environmentally sensitive zones. The applicants further highlighted violations of provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, causing severe air pollution, dust emissions and public health hazards to nearby residents.
They stated that environmental laws and pollution control norms could not be compromised for administrative convenience or political considerations. They emphasised that green belts and public parks were meant for environmental protection and public welfare, and their use for dumping raw material and industrial activities was illegal and against principles of sustainable development and public trust doctrine. The order of the Tribunal reaffirms the statutory duty of the PPCB to ensure strict compliance with environmental laws and pollution control standards.
The applicants expressed hope that the board would conduct an impartial and transparent inspection, initiate strict action against all violations and ensure restoration of the affected green areas.
They further stated that the matter concerns the larger issue of environmental governance and protection of the right to clean air and healthy environment of city residents. The applicants reiterated their commitment towards lawful and peaceful environmental protection initiatives in public interest.
