Notice to XEN over illegal passages across Yamuna

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, May 11

Nirmal Kumar Kashyap, regional officer, Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB), Yamunanagar, has issued a show-cause notice to the executive engineer, Water Services Division, Jagadhri, in connection with the illegal makeshift passages and bunds found constructed across the Yamuna at several places in Yamunanagar district.

Sources said in compliance with a meeting held under the chairmanship of Kuldeep Singh, SP, Yamunanagar, on May 4, a team of local officials of the Irrigation Department and the HSPCB had visited several villages to inspect makeshift passages and bunds constructed illegally across the Yamuna in the district.

The team found illegal makeshift passages in Jathlana, Pobari, Bibipur, Kanalsi and Mandauli villages and bunds in Gumthala, Nagli, Pobari and some other villages that were creating an obstruction (blockage) in the Yamuna mainstream.

After the visit, the regional officer of the HSPCB issued the show-cause notice on May 6.

The notice reads, “You are violating the provisions of the Water Act, 1974. Thus, it is non-compliance of the provisions of Section 24 of the Water (prevention and control of pollution) Act, 1974, and punishable under Section 43 and 47 of the Water Act.”

“In view of the above, you are hereby given a show-cause notice of 15 days as to why legal action must not be initiated against you,” the notice further reads.

It adds, “In case you fail to comply with the deficiencies mentioned above within the stipulated period, it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in this regard and legal action as per the provision of the applicable Acts shall be initiated against your unit without any further notice.”

However, Vinod Kumar, executive engineer, Water Services Division, Jagadhri, said he had received no show-cause notice yet. He said they had taken concrete steps to destroy the makeshift passages and bunds constructed across the Yamuna.

“Our team went to Kanalsi village to destroy makeshift passages on April 12, 20 and 25, but couldn’t do so following resistance from some people. Our team went there again with a huge police force on May 4 and destroyed them. We also got an FIR lodged against persons who opposed the removal,” said Kumar.

He said they had destroyed makeshift passages and bunds at other places too.