Sand mining: No show by Raj, NGT issues bailable warrants

Rajasthan today failed to send a representative before the National Green Tribunal on a plea against alleged illegal sand mining in National Chambal Sanctuary following which bailable warrants were issued.
A bench headed by Justice P Jyothimani issued bailable warrants in the sum of Rs 25,000 while posting the matter to January 29.
"There is no representation on behalf of the State of Rajasthan. Consequently, we issue bailable warrant against Rajasthan in the sum of Rs 25,000," the bench said.
The Tribunal also said that the Ministry of Environment and Forest is expected to play a more important role in the whole issue because it is concerned with three states, including Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier, the bench had pulled up Rajasthan for filing an incomplete affidavit and asked it to submit another affidavit containing details regarding the recruitment of staff and the rights of people who are living within the sanctuary area and cases of illegal sand mining.
MoEF itself had constituted a three-tier coordination committee called the National Tri-State Chambal Sanctuary Management and Coordination Committee for conservation of crocodiles in the sanctuary.

The sanctuary is a tri-state protected area for critically endangered gharial (small crocodiles), the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river dolphin, the petition said, adding that these species are under threat due to the fishing, sand mining etc going on there.

The tribunal was hearing a petition by NGO, Tiger Protection Group, which had sought prevention of activities like stone quarrying, sand mining and fishing, from going on in and around the sanctuary.
The petition had alleged that sand mining is contributing to destruction of the gharial's habitat as the sand-banks are absolutely essential for its nesting purposes.