Committee report on dumping of debris of the rocks cut for establishment of statue of Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha, Nashik, Maharashtra, 30/11/2022
Committee Report in OA No.46/2018 (WZ) (Joint Forest Management Committee V/s The Principal Secretary, Revenue & Forest Deptt. & Ors.)
There is environmental destruction caused due to dumping of debris of the rocks cut for establishment of statue of Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha. The statue has been carved out of the Mangi-Tungi hills, Tahrabad, Nashik, Maharashtra. The extent of the area affected as per affidavit submitted by the District Level Committee is 7.310 hectares.
Further, it is very difficult to remove the debris as it is dumped on slope. "If that debris is to be removed from that area, it will adversely affect the adjoining forest area, hence there is possibility of further destruction," according to the joint committee report filed November 30, 2022 in the NGT.
An area of 7.310 hectare is used by for dumping the debris, therefore the NPV of that much area should be recovered from the user agency. Loose debris is lying on the forest floor on the slopes and during the rainy season, loose boulders tend to roll downhill and adjoining forest areas are likely to be affected.
Therefore, the committee opined to arrest the rolling of boulders by constructing gabian structures on lower side of the debris area. Due to boulders lying on the forest area there is destruction of existing flora of that area. The committee recommended that the forest department should take plantation on equivalent area that is 7.310 ha and the cost of plantation should be recovered from the user agency as per the existing norms of the forest department.