CHENNAI: While disposing of a batch of petitions challenging the lower court’s decision not to release lorries seized over alleged illegal sand mining, the Madras High Court observed that it is better to ensure that Earth is in a good condition rather than exploring ways to start afresh in an alien planet.
The petitioners contended that if their seized vehicles were left without use for a long time, their value would depreciate and sought to release the vehicles. Replying to this, State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohammed Jinnah submitted that confiscation proceedings of the vehicles are underway. If the vehicles are released, the petitioners would indulge in the same illegal activities, he added.
“While geologists proclaim that the age of earth where we live now is 4.543 billion years, they expound that it is our responsibility to leave this planet in a better shape for the future generations than we found it, rather than closing our eyes on the cruelty being committed to our precious earth and taking pride in our search for an alien planet with least infrastructure by spending huge money to survive afresh,” Justice AD Jagadish Chandra observed while hearing the case.
Stating that the deterioration rate has hit a new pace, he added that perennial rivers that were once flowing with clean water have now been converted into drainage channels that carry effluents. Stating that data produced by the government showed that in all cases, confiscation proceedings had already been initiated, the judges said, “Therefore, this court is of the view that in the interest of justice, it would suffice if a direction is given for conclusion of the confiscation proceedings within a time frame,” and ordered the authority concerned to complete it within six months.