The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday set August 29 as the deadline for the Uttar Pradesh Government to come out with “definitive action” in checking illegal sand mining, failing which it warned of initiating tough action.
A Bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar warned the State Government that it “means business”. Efforts on the part of UP Government should be reflected by way of its seizures of the number of heavy mining machinery, damages imposed upon those engaged in sand mining without clearance, it said. “Do not bring to us people who are mining in small quantities. We want to know what action has been taken against the big people/miners,” the tribunal said.
The NGT gave the directions after the UP Government informed the bench that it has filed an action taken report since the August 5 ban order on sand mining without clearance. The Government in its report claimed to have registered FIRs against a couple of persons engaged in illegal mining. Not satisfied with the report, the bench pointed out to the State Government counsel that illegal sand mining was continuing even after its August 5 order, as per various media reports that showed pictures showing heavy mining machinery and trucks being used for the purpose.
The tribunal also rejected the UP Government’s plea for exempting the district magistrate and the senior superintendent of police of Gautam Budh Nagar from having to make personal appearance before the NGT on August 29. The tribunal had on August 14 asked the two officials to explain “why they should not face action for failing to check illegal sand mining from the Yamuna River in Noida and Greater NoidaIJ”
Earlier this month, the Environment Ministry had ordered a probe into illegal mining in the Gautam Budh Nagar. The enquiry report highlighted rampant illegal sand mining in most of the areas it inspected along the Yamuna River in Gautam Budh Nagar. The turmoil against sand mining in UP had started after the suspension of IAS Officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who had taken on the sand mafia head on in her district of Gautam Budh Nagar.