The National Green Tribunal on Friday pulled up MoEF for the illegal sand mining going on in National Chambal Sanctuary. large scale illegal sand mining on the banks of the river sanctuary which spreads across the three States of UP, MP and Rajasthan is driving the species of Gharial and red-crowned turtle towards extinction.
A Bench headed by Justice P Jyothimani said, “If the illegal sand mining as well as illegal fishing and stone quarrying is conducted which are unable to be curtailed by the State Governments...It is the duty of the MoEF, having overall authority not only to supervise but also to give instructions to the State Governments to take appropriate action.” The next hearing has been fixed for November 13.
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.
Earlier, the Environment Ministry 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 petition says that the sanctuary is the home of critically endangered gharial, red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river dolphin, adding that these species are under threat due to the fishing, sand mining etc going on there.
It further says that sand mining is leading to destruction of the habitat of gharial as the sand-banks are absolutely essential for its nesting .