The Central government and the Chhattisgarh Government have filed their replies to a PIL in the Chhattisgarh High Court against illegal mining in Gare Palma Coal Mines in Tamnar block of Raigad district.
Petitioner Chinmay Mahapatra had filed the PIL through advocates Varun Sharma, Dilip Pandey and Vineet Pandey against coal being mined by Maharashtra Generation Company.
The PIL said the company should not mine this coal block since it is adversely affecting the health of the local people. During the pendency of the matter in the High Court, the National Scheduled Castes and Tribes Commission had asked the Indian Medical Research to submit an inquiry report on the issue. At the same time, the High Court had issued notice to the Centre and the state government seeking a reply.
The hearing of the case was held on Tuesday in the Division bench of Chief Justice P.R. Ramachandra Menon and Justice P.P. Sahu.
During the hearing, the Center and the State Government filed the reply.
At the same time, the petitioner alleged about the report that in this the government has not made any mention of labourers and tribals, whose health is deteriorating due to a severe disease like TB, which is life-threatening. The hearing of the case has now been scheduled after four weeks.