Ranchi, March 12 (NationPress) The Jharkhand High Court has taken a firm stance against the escalating air pollution and unlawful mining practices in Dhanbad. During a public interest litigation (PIL) hearing on Thursday, the court reprimanded local authorities.

A division bench led by Chief Justice M.S. Sonak has mandated the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Dhanbad, along with the Member Secretary of the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board and the Municipal Commissioner of Dhanbad, to appear in person on April 2.

The court has also summoned the Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) to present proposals to mitigate pollution in the coal-mining region.

During the proceedings, the bench highlighted its concern regarding the declining air quality in Dhanbad, aggravated by persistent illegal mining and the transport of unlawfully mined coal.

The bench questioned the effectiveness of police interventions, noting a lack of visible action to combat illegal mining.

Furthermore, the court expressed alarm over the rising levels of coal dust, which have significantly deteriorated pollution levels in Dhanbad, posing serious health risks to residents, including various respiratory issues.

Advocate Amit Kumar Das, representing BCCL, informed the court that the company is working on environmental improvement initiatives by transforming abandoned open-pit mines into parks.

BCCL also reported filing multiple FIRs to tackle illegal mining, yet claimed the police have not responded adequately to these reports.

The court ordered that a separate petition filed by BCCL be linked with the main PIL initiated by the Rural Unity Forum.

Previously, the court requested the District Mining Officer to report on measures taken to combat illegal mining in Dhanbad. However, the state's affidavit suggested that pollution levels were manageable but lacked specific details about actions against illegal mining.

The petitioner, Rural Unity Forum, argued that the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation and district administration have not effectively addressed the pollution crisis, claiming that most pollution control measures are merely theoretical and have not led to any tangible improvements.

In its defense, BCCL asserted that coal transportation is conducted under appropriate conditions, and measures such as water sprinkling and regular monitoring are in place to mitigate dust.

However, the court seemed skeptical of these claims and indicated that it would hold senior officials accountable for the intensifying pollution issues in Dhanbad.