| Saw Mills in Rajouri openly flout norms, authorities silent | | | ANKIT KESSAR
EARLY TIMES REPORT
Rajouri, Feb 2: Majority of Saw Mills in Rajouri district have been allegedly functioning in violation of norms and the concerned enforcement agencies show laxity to take action against these illegal units due to their ulterior motives.
Sources told Early Times that the nexus between enforcement agencies including Forest Department, Power Development Department and the Saw Mill owners is openly flouting the set norms, which have to be followed by these unit owners thereby putting the human lives at grave risk as the dust and unbearable noise produced by these units cause serious health issues among the residents living nearby these units.
“These illegal Saw Mills are generally operating in Rajouri, Sunderbani, Nowshehra tehsils etc. in populated areas, where establishment of such units is strictly prohibited but their functioning in contravention to norms directly raise fingers on the concerned departments including Forest Department and PDD, which show reluctance to stop these illegal Saw Mills,” they alleged.
Sources said that as per guidelines, these units should not be installed near schools, cities, hospitals, government offices and there should be a distance of 200-250 meters from above mentioned points and operation of Saw Mills is not allowed within towns.
“Saw Mills installed nearby city area are allowed to use 18 inch Saw Blade, which use 10 Horse Power (HP) of electricity but instead of it, 42 inch blade is being used by these units, which use 20 HPs of electricity, which create more noise, dust, and consume huge amount of the electricity in sheer violation of norms,” they alleged.
It has been learnt from reliable sources that some Saw Mills are functioning illegally. “The owners of such Saw Mills are running two units on single permission illegally and the concerned department deliberately overlooking these violations due to their vested interests.
When DFO Nowshera, Sunderbani, Suresh Manda was contacted, he took the matter casually and asked that if particular complaint will come to him, only then, action would be taken.
Meanwhile, when contacted Conservator Forests, Mohan Das said that he had not received any such complaint till date, but he assured that he would take note of the matter and appropriate action will be taken against the violators.
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