The Punjab and Haryana high court has given one month time to the Haryana government to look into the allegations of damages caused to a canal by mining work in Bhiwani.

The high court bench of justice Sureshwar Thakur and justice Lalit Batra acted on the plea from three Bhiwani residents who had demanded that the government be directed to cancel permission for mining and blasting by a private contractor in Kharkhari Sohan area, which was allegedly being done in close proximity with the Nigana canal.

The plea also demanded that environmental clearance given to the project should also be set aside.

The contractor’s counsel had told the court that all the requisite NOCs have been obtained from all departments.

As per the petitioners’ lawyer, Irshaan Singh Kakar, the blasting and mining is causing damage to public amenities. Kakar had referred to the Haryana Minor Minerals Rules, 2012, as per which continuance of mining operations in any area can be reviewed if in the opinion of the state government it is likely to endanger the safety of any national or state highway, road, bridge, drainage, reservoir, tank, canal or other public works, or public or private building etc.

“Canal is the lifeline of the Tosham area as about 20 villages are served though the said canal with drinking water for humans and cattle and irrigation water apart from also feeding various village ponds and further for supply of electricity from the powerhouse set up on the canal,” Kakar had submitted.

Now the court has directed that the state government through superintending engineer, Bhiwani (Yamuna Water Service Circle), would serve a show-cause notice on the contractor whether the blasting made at the mining site are endangering the safety of the water system/power system etc. Upon notice and reply from the contractor, a decision be taken about the continuance of mining operations at the site in question as per 2012 rules within one month, the court further directed.