NEW DELHI: Days after restraining sand mining in river beds without taking prior environmental clearance, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday extended the order to beach sand mining in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and asked both these coastal states along with others to tell it within two weeks as to why did they fail to adhere to the Supreme Court order.
The Tribunal's order came while hearing a petition which was filed by the NGT Bar Association in the backdrop of illegal sand mining in the Yamuna river bed in UP's Gautam Budh Nagar district.
Though UP was initially in denial over the illegal activities, its counsel on Wednesday admitted instances of "indiscriminate sand mining" without green clearance when encountered with evidence by the petitioners.
Subsequently, NGT directed deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Gautam Budh Nagar district to explain by August 29 as to why they didn't take appropriate action to ensure that no illegal sand mining could be carried out in the area. They will also have to explain why action shouldn't be taken against them for their `failure' to prevent illegal sand mining.
The petitioner also pointed out that around 230,000 tonnes beach sand mineral has been quarried in TN's Vaippar village alone "without permission of any government authority".
Making a particular reference to TN and Kerala, the five-member bench of the Tribunal — headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar — directed the chief secretaries of both these states to file their "personal affidavits before the next date of hearing" explaining about the action that may be taken by the states.
The Tribunal, while delivering the order, grant liberty to any advocate of the NGT or even public at large to duly bring to its notice "particulars of any person carrying on illegal mining activity and if the order of the tribunal is violated".
The bench had issued notices on August 5 to all the states seeking their replies on a petition contending that rampant illegal mining and transportation of lakhs of tonnes of sand are being carried out every year, causing loss of lakhs of crores to the state exchequer.
Barring UP, Haryana and MP, no other state, however, appeared before the Tribunal on Wednesday due to non-service of the notices. Besides the counsel for these three states, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) also sought time to file their replies.
Haryana government told the tribunal that sand mining is going on in Panipat and Sonipat as per green clearance granted to them whereas Madhya Pradesh government's representative said that 3,000 cases have been registered regarding illegal sand mining over the past five years.
The UP's counsel accepted that the state administration has not arrested anyone. Though 192 green clearances have been given by the state till August 5, no approval was obtained for Gautam Budh Nagar district.....................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxMy8wOC8xNSNBcjAwMzA1&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
The Tribunal's order came while hearing a petition which was filed by the NGT Bar Association in the backdrop of illegal sand mining in the Yamuna river bed in UP's Gautam Budh Nagar district.
Though UP was initially in denial over the illegal activities, its counsel on Wednesday admitted instances of "indiscriminate sand mining" without green clearance when encountered with evidence by the petitioners.
Subsequently, NGT directed deputy commissioner and superintendent of police of Gautam Budh Nagar district to explain by August 29 as to why they didn't take appropriate action to ensure that no illegal sand mining could be carried out in the area. They will also have to explain why action shouldn't be taken against them for their `failure' to prevent illegal sand mining.
The petitioner also pointed out that around 230,000 tonnes beach sand mineral has been quarried in TN's Vaippar village alone "without permission of any government authority".
Making a particular reference to TN and Kerala, the five-member bench of the Tribunal — headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar — directed the chief secretaries of both these states to file their "personal affidavits before the next date of hearing" explaining about the action that may be taken by the states.
The Tribunal, while delivering the order, grant liberty to any advocate of the NGT or even public at large to duly bring to its notice "particulars of any person carrying on illegal mining activity and if the order of the tribunal is violated".
The bench had issued notices on August 5 to all the states seeking their replies on a petition contending that rampant illegal mining and transportation of lakhs of tonnes of sand are being carried out every year, causing loss of lakhs of crores to the state exchequer.
Barring UP, Haryana and MP, no other state, however, appeared before the Tribunal on Wednesday due to non-service of the notices. Besides the counsel for these three states, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) also sought time to file their replies.
Haryana government told the tribunal that sand mining is going on in Panipat and Sonipat as per green clearance granted to them whereas Madhya Pradesh government's representative said that 3,000 cases have been registered regarding illegal sand mining over the past five years.
The UP's counsel accepted that the state administration has not arrested anyone. Though 192 green clearances have been given by the state till August 5, no approval was obtained for Gautam Budh Nagar district.....................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAxMy8wOC8xNSNBcjAwMzA1&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
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