Sand mining: NGT issues show cause notice to offenders

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) today issued notice to all persons, named by Uttar Pradesh goverment as offenders indulging in illegal sand mining, asking why they should not be directed to pay compensation for unauthorised removal of the mineral from river Yamuna.
A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police of Gautam Budh Nagar district of the state to ensure that the notices are served upon all the offenders whose names were filed before the tribunal on the last date of hearing on December 11, 2013.
"List of the offenders, who have been indulging in illegal and unauthorised mining from the river bed or otherwise, has been filed. Let notice be issued to all the parties mentioned therein who may have not been served with notices.

"These notices shall be issued for the purposes of providing them an opportunity to show cause as to why they should not be directed to pay compensation for illegal and unauthorised sand mining causing damage to environment and ecology in the area in question. Noticees shall be served with the notice by the DSP, Gautam Budh Nagar," the bench said and listed the matter for further hearing on February 19.
The tribunal also directed the state government to produce registration books of all the seized vehicles, used for illegal sand mining, and the list of case property given in FIRs registered in connection with the unauthorised removal of the mineral.

It also sought a list of the "leases/licenses for mining which were issued during the last 10 years".

The bench directed the state to provide information regarding how many permits have been issued for sand mining, for what quantity and the replenishment capacity of the areas concerned for which the permits, if any, have been issued.
On December 11, the UP government had admitted before NGT that large-scale illegal sand mining had been going on in Gautam Budh Nagar and that it has arrested 120 persons in that connection.
The state government today submitted at present there is no illegal mining going on in the district.

The tribunal had on August 5, last year, banned illegal sand mining across the country.