Mumbai: NGT-Ordered Committee Finds Ashapura Meinchem Limited Guilty Of Severe Environmental Violations In Ratnagiri, Recommends Crores In Fines

Mumbai: A committee formed on the orders of the National Green Tribunal, to investigate a complaint against Ashapura Meinchem Ltd. has issued report, highlighting severe environmental violations committed by the mining company in Rowle village, Ratnagiri.

The complaint, filed by Bhavesh Karekar, an engineer-turned-agriculturalist, accused the company of illegal bauxite mining and environmental degradation in the region.

The committee’s findings include significant land damage, depletion of groundwater levels, and various violations of environmental regulations, leading to the recommendation of heavy fines running into crores.

Karekar’s complaint shed light on the adverse environmental impact of the company’s unregulated excavation activities. He accused Ashapura Meinchem Ltd. of operating without the necessary permissions, violating the conditions of environmental clearance, and engaging in illegal mining and unregulated transport of mined material. The key points of the complaint included:

- Illegal mining operations without requisite permissions or NOCs.

- Haphazard mining and crushing activities causing severe environmental damage.

- Depletion and contamination of groundwater in the surrounding areas.

- Uncontrolled air pollution due to mining operations, without proper air quality monitoring.

- Failure to carry out the required plantation in the affected areas.

- Damage to public roads and overloading of transport vehicles.

- Significant damage to a public bridge on the Barja River, the main evacuation route for the mined material.

- Night-time mining operations, in violation of regulations.

The committee’s report corroborated many of Karekar’s allegations, held that, the Project Proponent (PP), Ashapura Meinchem Ltd., obtained Environmental Clearance (EC) by securing only subsurface rights for 228 hectares but did not have agreements for the surface rights over all the lands.

Furthermore, the PP failed to comply with conditions related to tree plantation, mineral transportation, and the operation of stone crushers without the necessary consents from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).”

In addition, the committee raised concerns about the Barja River bridge, which is showing visible cracks and has limited load-carrying capacity. It recommended a safety audit of the bridge by the Public Works Department (PWD) and Regional Transport Office (RTO). Until the audit is completed, mineral transportation through the bridge should be halted.

The report also highlighted the need for stringent action against Ashapura Meinchem Ltd. for its non-compliance, including the installation of CCTV cameras to monitor mining operations and the maintenance of public roads at the company's expense under the Polluter Pay Principle.

Maharashtra: NGT Accuses Ashapura Meinchem Limited Of Violating Environmental Clearance Conditions In Dapoli Bauxite Mining Operations

Based on its findings, the committee has suggested imposing significant environmental compensation on the company, including:

- Rs. 1,74,60,000 for non-compliance with environmental regulations, including inadequate tree plantation and illegal mining operations.

- Rs. 26,73,600 for the unauthorized extraction of groundwater without obtaining the necessary NOC from the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).