The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday barred the Uttarakhand Government from issuing any fresh sand mining permits.
Putting the State Government on notice, a Bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar sought a response by September 26, the next date of hearing. It also stayed the State Government’s notification that allows sand mining without approval from the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF). The order came in the wake of a petition filed by Khush Naseeb Khan from Uttarakhand. He alleged large-scale removal of sand from riverbeds without any environment clearance, as the State had issued notification extending MoEF licence periods.
While seeking “an impartial inquiry into issuance of such mining permits throughout the State”, the petition asked for a probe into the records of such permits. The petition contended that “commencement of mining activities in riverbeds and other areas of the State will lead to further soil erosion and make the State more vulnerable to natural calamities such as the one witnessed recently.”
Pointing out that mining is usually suspended during the monsoon for environmental and safety reasons, the petition claims that this year, the Uttarakhand Government — vide notifications of July 12 and August 1 — extended licence period across the rainy season. This sand is being mined and stocked up in order to be sold when the notification expires on September 30.
Advocate Ajit Sharma, on behalf of Khan, submitted, “Though the State needs sand for purposes of reconstruction of buildings and infrastructure damaged in the recent floods, mining should be allowed only after studying the impact of such activity on the environment.”