PINAKI MAJUMDAR
Jamshedpur, March 21: The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the Jharkhand government and nine companies situated in and around Jamshedpur for violating guidelines and polluting the area in violation of emission norms of air, contaminating natural water streams of the area by violating the norms of reusing the water after treatment, receding water table of the area by illegally extracting groundwater through deep boring, disposal of solid and liquid wastes etc.
The PIL, being Writ Petition (PIL) No. 3434 of 2019, was heard today before the Division bench of Jharkhand High Court.
The petitioner has pleaded for the immediate shutdown of polluting plants set up in gross violation of guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest, and for compensation to the people of the area for violation of their basic fundamental rights of right to life and livelihood.
The petitioner, PUCL, argued that the agricultural land of farmers is turning uncultivable and barren due to pollution caused by those companies. The Chief Justice heard the PIL and admitted the same, issuing notice to all nine respondent companies.
Advocate Akhilesh Kumar Shrivastava, Rohit Sinha and Akash Sharma appeared for PUCL.
