SHC issues show-cause notice to mines and minerals DG for not complying with orders

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has issued a show-cause notice to the mines and minerals department director general (DG) for not complying with the court orders in a limestone lifting case and directed him to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against him.

The direction came on a petition against lifting of limestone by private contractors in Thatta.

The petitioners, who are local residents of villages of Thatta, had challenged the removal of minerals and limestone from 200 acres of land in the district. They submitted that the licence of the private contractor had expired but in spite of that the contractor was illegally lifting limestone from the area by using crushing machines.

They submitted that due to the use of heavy machines, the ecosystem of the area had been severely affected and the villagers were not able to cultivate their land.

They said that residents were also facing dust allergies and eye infections due to excavation of limestone near their villages by the private contractor and requested the high court to restrain the contractor from lifting limestone from the area.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar observed that the mines and minerals DG was directed to submit a complete break-up of last 10 years with regard to the leases of land and amount received against such leases. The high court had also directed the Thatta SSP to cooperate with the district administration and ensure that limestone was not extracted from the subject area.

The SHC observed that despite the notice, the mines and minerals DG did not file comments.

The high court issued a show-cause notice to the mines and minerals DG to explain why he did not comply with the court order and directed the respondents to submit a compliance report on the next date of hearing.

The bench also issued notices to the mines and minerals DG and others on another petition against lifting of limestone and marble near the Keenjhar Lake.

The petitioners had submitted that private contractors were extracting limestone in the Chilliah area near the Keenjhar Lake which was disturbing the ecosystem of the lake.

They submitted that illegal excavation of limestone and gravel from the site may also cause potential hazard to Kerli Bashar feeder and inhabitants of the locality. The high court was requested to restrain the private contractors from extracting limestone near the Keenjhar lake and impose a ban on such exercise for protection of the lake.