Highway widening: Ensure display of excavation permit details, Kerala HC tells NHAI
The directive, issued under the Kerala Minor Mineral Concession Rules, 2015, also stipulates that the boards must display the name and address of the permit holder, details of permit, quantity of extraction permitted, area of extraction and types of explosives used. Additionally, each board must include the contact information of the NHAI officer in charge of the project for emergency use by local residents.
The bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji issued the order while considering a PIL by P Pradeep Kumar of Chelannur panchayat in Kozhikode and 24 other local residents.
They alleged that, in connection with the highway widening works between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram, soil was being extracted beyond permissible limits in their area, altering the hill's topography and causing severe environmental damage, including a heightened risk of landslides.
They contended that the excavation affected an area inhabited by more than 100 residents, with schools and temples nearby, and had also led to pollution of a nearby river.
The petitioners sought a directive to immediately halt the unscientific and excessive excavation of soil and to implement appropriate safety measures, including slope stabilisation, to prevent further harm. It was also pointed out that when hill cutting or excavation is carried out on slopes, residents have no designated authority to contact in case of emergencies.
During a hearing held in Feb, the Kozhikode district collector submitted that necessary steps were being taken to ensure that quarrying activities remained within permissible limits and were carried out scientifically. Regarding the concern about the absence of an emergency contact point for local residents, it was suggested that metallic boards with such details be placed at the sites. Accordingly, HC issued the directive, and the NHAI assured it that necessary instructions would be issued to the concessionaire to install the boards.
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