VIJAYAWADA: Taking a serious view of the State government’s inaction on the rampant illegal sand mining in the river Krishna near the Chief Minister’s residence in Undavalli, Guntur district, the National Green Tribunal on Thursday issued an interim order slapping a fine of Rs 100 crore on it and directed it to initiate criminal proceedings against the culprits.
The interim order was passed by the NGT’s Principal Bench headed by Justice AK Goel in response to a letter written to it by Waterman Rajendra Singh, farmer and social worker from Amaravati region Anumolu Gandhi, environmental activist Prof Vikram Soni and social activist Bolisetty Satyanarayana.
The bench found fault with the heads of the government departments concerned and rapped the government for allowing sand mining sans environmental clearance. While posting the matter to July 23 for further hearing, it directed the State government to deposit the Rs 100 crore with the Central Pollution Control Board.
Speaking to TNIE, Shravan, the advocate for the petitioners, said the letter by the activists was sent in March last year not only to the NGT but also the Ministry of Environment and Forests expressing concern over the unchecked and brazen sand mining in the vicinity of the residence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu himself.
The letter was sent after the activists undertook the Save the River campaign. Their main contention was that illegal sand mining is threatening the very stability of the river, and the river bank besides leading to soil erosion. Considering the letter as a petition, the NGT in December last directed the AP Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board to conduct an inspection.
A joint team of the State and Central boards conducted inspections in the region on January 17 and 18 this year and submitted a report to the NGT laying bare with substantial evidence, including photographs, how sand was being mined with impunity.
The Principal Bench of the NGT was shocked after going through the report, particularly over the fact that sand mining was being carried out illegally near the Chief Minister’s residence and important government offices in the State capital region, Shravan explained.
“The report explains how 2,500 truckloads of sand was being transported from the river every day. Mechanical sand mining was being carried out without permission. The NGT has ordered the pollution control boards to conduct another study of sand mining in the entire State and directed the Chief Secretary to take measures to stop illegal sand mining,” he said. Even the impact of free sand policy in the State was questioned, he added, referring to the policy introduced by the Chandrababu Naidu government making sand free for everyone in the State from March 2, 2016.
Welcoming the NGT’s interim order, Anumolu Gandhi and Bolisetty Satyanarayana, petitioners in the case, told TNIE that they were waiting for the order copy. “We are looking forward to some action on the part of the government. After all, it is about safety of the river and lakhs of people depend on it,” said Gandhi.