Viewing seriously the affidavits filed by “authorised signatories” on behalf of industrial units operating in prohibited areas around Tippagondanahalli (T.G. Halli) reservoir, the Karnataka High Court on Monday asked the directors of all the 22 companies to be personally present in court on November 22.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramjit Sen and Justice B.V. Nagarathna issued the directions while hearing a suo motu case initiated by the court on the units continuing to operate despite closure order issued by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).
During last hearing, the Bench had directed all the companies to file affidavit stating that they would shift from the area before July 13, 2013. However, when the matter came up for hearing on Monday, the court noticed that the affidavits were filed by “authorised signatories” whose names were not mentioned in it. Taking this matter seriously as it was not how affidavits are filed, the Bench summoned the directors of these companies. It criticised the KSPCB officials for their callous approach with regard to ensuring these polluting units were closed down.
Construction noise
In another case, the Bench asked the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Bangalore, to be present in court on December 4 for apprising the court of the restrictions on movement of heavy vehicles.
The Bench passed the order when the Bangalore unit of Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India (CREDAI) explained the difficulties faced by builders in carrying out construction work only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. as directed by the court earlier.
The court’s restrictions came on September 6 while hearing a public interest litigation petition about alleged illegalities in the construction of Sobha Dew Flowers, an apartment complex at Sarakki in J.P. Nagar.
CREDAI’s counsel submitted that there are many restrictions on movement of heavy vehicles also and it was difficult for builders to function thus.
Following this, the Bench asked the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) to be present in court while asking CREDAI to come out with a clear plan to carry out construction work without affecting citizens adversely.
“No resident of Bangalore will have equipment to measure noise pollution. Builders don’t care at all for the public… the stone cutting noise will wake up even the dead,” the Bench observed during the hearing of the application filed by the CREDAI seeking modification in its directive while saying it would regulate itself.
