Supreme Court relief for farmers battling limestone mining by Ultra Tech

The Supreme Court on Monday set side an order of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) by which the latter refused to condone the delay in filing of an appeal by villagers of Talaja and Mahuva taluka in Bhavnagar district against the environmental clearance granted to Ultra Tech Cement Limited for limestone mining in the villages of Kalsar, Dayal, and Kotda of Mahuva. The apex court has remitted the matter back to the green court.

In January, during a protest, farmers were brutally beaten up and slapped with grave charges by the police, resulting in one of the victims approaching the Gujarat High Court against the atrocities on them. The high court has already issued a host of directions including transfer of the probe in the issue to CID crime and a magisterial inquiry against the erring police officials.

The villagers preferred an appeal before NGT challenging environmental clearance granted to the company on January 25. The principal bench of NGT passed an order dated February 2 and dismissed the appeal on the ground of delay. The farmers claimed that authorities are not providing them the copy of the environmental clearance.

Case File

Farmers of Talaja and Mahuva taluka have been protesting against the mining of limestone by the company Ultra Tech Cement Limited in 13 villages of both talukas