HC directs immediate stoppage of quarrying works on hill sides of both the highways

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Nov 29

The High Court of Manipur has directed that there shall be immediate stoppage of any quarrying works which is going on in the hill sides where national highways are running.

Division bench of the High Court comprises of acting chief justice, N. Kotiswar and justice Kh. Nobin made the directive after National Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NIDCL) general manager, Sunil Kumar filed an affidavit and personally explained the progress of the work done to the court.

He submitted before that court that the work of the unlined drainage is in progress and the more works which have been already allotted to the existing contractors have been executed and endeavors have been made with the higher authority for sanctioning appropriate funds.

The general manager highlighted the problem of continued quarrying on the hill side running on the national highways which is making the work of execution of unlined drain and other maintenance work difficult.

The division bench has also directed the DCs and the SPs of the concerned districts to ensure that there are no quarrying activities on the hill sides of the National Highways.

In the affidavits filed by the NHIDCL it his highlighted that the North Eastern Frontier Railways (NEFR), which is executing the railway project frequently used the national highways.

It has been found that while making approach roads from the national highways to the project sites the drainage required to be maintained on the highways has been blocked resulting in damage of the national highways, it added.

The court in view of the matter has directed NERF to cooperate with NHIDCL so that there is no hindrance on the maintenance work being presently undertaken by the NHIDCL.

In the meanwhile M/S HVS Material Private Limited representative, Vikramjit has submitted the progress of works undertaken by the company along the national highways and also expressed certain difficulties faced by the local contractors.

On being heard of his submission the court has directed him to file necessary affidavit regarding the matter and directed M/S Bhartia Infra Project Limited to submit more details of the work and has fixed the next hearing on December 1.