Gangtok, Oct 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Sikkim High Court has directed the Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON) and its contractors to immediately stop dumping excavated soil, mud and construction debris into the Teesta River during the construction of the Sevok-Rangpo railway project, officials said on Wednesday.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque and Justice Bhaskar Raj Pradhan issued the direction while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (WP(PIL) No. 09 of 2026) filed by residents of Melli Bazar in Namchi district.
The petitioners alleged that construction waste was being dumped along the Teesta river basin, obstructing its natural flow and causing water to overflow towards Sikkim.
The court directed IRCON and its contractors to dispose of all excavated material only at designated dumping sites and prohibited its disposal in the river.
The Namchi District Collector has been directed to ensure compliance with the order and take appropriate action against violations under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
The court also asked the district administration to examine whether the dumping had disturbed the river's natural flow and recommend corrective measures if necessary.
The District Collector and the State Pollution Control Board have been added as respondents in the case. The latest order follows an earlier direction issued on September 7, when the High Court asked the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Namchi, to inspect the locations identified in the petition.
The court subsequently considered the inspection report submitted by the DLSA Secretary on October 3.
The petitioners have sought the removal of dumped material, construction of protective walls and the constitution of an expert committee comprising hydrologists and environmental engineers to assess the environmental impact.
They have also sought recovery of restoration expenses under the 'Polluter Pays' principle, which requires those responsible for environmental damage to bear the cost of remediation.
The District Collector is required to submit a report within three weeks, while the next hearing has been scheduled for November 17.
The Sevok-Rangpo railway line is a major infrastructure project aimed at improving rail connectivity to Sikkim. The case raises concerns over the disposal of construction waste and the protection of the Teesta's river channel during infrastructure development.
Source: IANS
Gopi Adusumilli is a Programmer. He is the editor of SocialNews.XYZ and President of AGK Fire Inc.
He enjoys designing websites, developing mobile applications and publishing news articles on current events from various authenticated news sources.
When it comes to writing he likes to write about current world politics and Indian Movies. His future plans include developing SocialNews.XYZ into a News website that has no bias or judgment towards any.
He can be reached at gopi@socialnews.xyz
This website uses cookies.
