Ranchi: The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday came down heavily on authorities over the alarming air pollution levels in Dhanbad and concerns about illegal coal mining in the region.
While hearing a PIL on the issue, a bench led by Chief Justice M.S. Sonak ordered the Deputy Commissioner and Senior Superintendent of Police of Dhanbad, the Member Secretary of the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board, and the Municipal Commissioner to appear personally before the court on April 2.
The court also directed the Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) to attend the hearing and submit recommendations on tackling pollution in the coal belt.
During the hearing, the bench remarked that Dhanbad’s worsening air quality and the continued reports of illegal coal extraction and transportation were deeply troubling.
The judges raised questions about the effectiveness of police action against illegal mining, noting that there appeared to be no significant steps being taken to control such activities.
The court observed that coal dust in the atmosphere has increased substantially, contributing to dangerous pollution levels and creating serious health risks for residents, including respiratory problems.
Representing BCCL, advocate Amit Kumar Das told the court that the company has been working to improve the environment by filling abandoned open-pit mines and turning them into green spaces.
BCCL also informed the bench that it had lodged multiple FIRs in connection with illegal mining but claimed that the police response had been insufficient.
The company has filed its own petition related to the matter, which the court directed to be linked with the PIL filed by the Rural Unity Forum.
Previously, the court had asked the District Mining Officer to explain what measures had been taken to stop illegal mining. However, the affidavit submitted by the state government only stated that pollution was under control and did not provide details of concrete action against offenders.
The petitioner organisation argued that both the Dhanbad Municipal Corporation and the district administration had failed to effectively tackle the pollution problem. It alleged that most of the measures announced to control pollution exist only on paper and have not brought visible improvements.
BCCL, however, maintained that coal transportation follows safety protocols, including covering trucks and sprinkling water regularly to suppress dust.
Despite these submissions, the court appeared dissatisfied and indicated that it would hold senior officials accountable for resolving the environmental crisis in Dhanbad.
With inputs from IANS