Shimla: Forest department is said to have slapped a notice, fining the Public Works Department (PWD) for illegally dumping muck and debris in forest areas and a rivulet in Kasauli area during construction of a road, something for which permission from Pollution Control Board had not been obtained.
Construction of the Parwanoo Gadhiyar road which began in September 2012, has left behind heavy loads of flowing muck into Kaushalya rivulet, not just obstructing the natural flow of the stream but also causing erosion along the banks.
Waking up to the environmental damage caused as the work site can been seen from the Shimla – Kalka highway, pollution control board officials are said to have served a notice to the PWD authorities.
For the environment degradation caused, the foresters have levied a fine of Rs 27, 99,788 on the public works department and a notice has been served, sources disclosed.
Deepak Aggrawal, an executive engineer with State Pollution Control Board confirmed that a notice had been issued to the PWD for illegal of debris.
Saurabh Chauhan, an independent journalist, has over 15 years of experience in Print and Digital Media. He has extensively written on a variety of issues including women’s rights, environment, crime, governance, finance and politics at Shimla, Chandigarh and Lucknow. Saurabh currently divides his time between Shimla and his native place in Kotgarh (Shimla Hills).
