NGT forms panel to dispose 70,000 cubic mt of sand in Delhi

The National Green Tribunal has constituted a committee to weigh and dispose around 70,000 cubic metre of sand and clay lying on the riverbed of Yamuna at Wazirabad and Jagatpur bund areas here.
A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swantanter Kumar directed the committee comprising Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and an officer from Delhi government to weigh the entire clay and sand.
"We constitute a committee of DPCC, DJB and an officer from NCT of Delhi who shall first weigh the entire clay-cum- sand that is stated to be lying on the river bed thereafter it will be permitted to be lifted.

"The entire earning from this shall be deposited with DJB without prejudice to the rights and contentions of the parties. We make it clear that no further mining in the name of dredging will be carried out by any of the respondents till the next date of hearing," the bench said.
The matter was fixed for next hearing on January 27, 2015.
The tribunal also made it clear that the royalty would be computed on actual content of clay and sand in the dredging material.

The order came after the counsel appearing for DJB informed the bench that around 70,000 cubic metre of clay and sand was lying on the river bed which should be permitted to be disposed by the contractor.

Earlier, the tribunal had directed DJB to ensure that no sand mining is permitted in the name of dredging of Yamuna at Wazirabad and Jagatpur bund areas.
The order came over a petition by Rahul Nagar seeking a complete ban on illegal sand mining in the capital without obtaining environmental clearance.
"Illegal mining is not only in contravention of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, but also of order and directions of Supreme Court and directions of National Green Tribunal," Nagar had said in his plea.
The petitioner had claimed that the sand mining mafia has begun to trespass private agricultural fields located near flood plains even though such activity, without any environmental clearance, is banned.

"There is an increased necessity of studying the impact of sand mining, the deterioration caused and remedial measures. Illegal sand mining has already led to devastating consequences in the region. It has changed river hydrology and affected the groundwater," the petition had said.