Chandigarh/Kaithal, Feb 4:The Haryana Human Rights Commission’s attempts to regulate rice shellers in Kaithal have been stayed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The court ruled that the commission exceeded its statutory limits by issuing binding orders instead of simple recommendations to the state government.
During the proceedings, senior advocate Vikas Chatrath argued that the commission was acting beyond the scope of the 1993 Protection of Human Rights Act. The petitioners sought to quash the complaint, stating that the panel had been “artificially elevating” environmental regulatory issues into human rights disputes.
“The principal argument of learned senior counsel on behalf of petitioners is that the Haryana Human Rights Commission, Chandigarh, has issued directions, whereas, Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, does not confer any such power upon the Commission,” the Bench observed.
The counsel for the mill owners noted that specialized laws already exist to manage pollution and that the commission lacked the expertise or jurisdiction to override those statutes. They directly said that a human rights dispute can only be established if there is a clear link to state inaction.
The Bench has decided to adjudicate whether the commission can issue enforceable orders, a decision that will impact traders and authorities across the region. The case will resume in mid-March.
