Bilaspur (HP), Oct 27 (PTI) The joint committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal to examine allegations of unscientific hill-cutting and illegal mining along the Kiratpur-“Nerchowk section of Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway has found no evidence of such activities within the project’s right of way, officials said on Monday.

The committee, comprising representatives from Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the district administrations of Bilaspur and Mandi, conducted inspections on April 9 and 10, 2024.

The project implemented by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is 78.28 kilometres long — ”comprising 30.53 kilometres of brown field and 47.75 kilometres of green field stretches –” and was opened to traffic on September 5, 2023.

According to the committee’s report, the NHAI executed the construction strictly within its acquired Right of Way and disposed of about 4 lakh cubic metres of excess muck on private lands with the written consent of land owners, in accordance with the conditions of the Environmental Clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on March 21, 2013.

During the inspection, minor excavation activities linked to plot development and proposed commercial establishments were observed at a few private sites in Bilaspur and Mandi districts. These were immediately halted by the respective sub-divisional magistrates and directions were issued under relevant laws. No ongoing or fresh illegal mining has been reported since, officials said.

The NHAI clarified that it had obtained all required permissions from the Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board under the Air and Water Acts and that all royalty dues for material used during construction were duly deposited.

Following the findings, the Mandi and Bilaspur district administrations have issued Standard Operating Procedures to all sub-divisional magistrates, mandating strict monitoring of hill-cutting, muck disposal, and private construction near highways.

Officials confirmed that no unregulated excavation or mining activity has taken place within the project limits after the completion of the highway. PTI COR BPL RUK RUK