VIJAYAWADA : The Centre on Wednesday informed the Andhra Pradesh High Court that illegal sand mining is taking place in the State. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) said the department and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPDB) have confirmed that GCKC Projects and Works, one of sand mining companies, is indulging in illegal sand mining by deploying heavy machinery.
The MoEFCC and CPDB officials have come to the conclusion after inspecting the sand reaches on the instructions of the National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench. The committee constituted by the NGT had also collected photos and fake bill books as evidence and the report will be submitted to the NGT, the MoEFCC informed the court.
The Centre informed this during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by GVSS Prasad and five others last year stating that sand is being mined and transported illegally in heavy vehicles and ramps are being constructed obstructing the flow of water by Jai Prakash Ventures at Muttaiahpalem village of Amaravati mandal in Palnadu district.
Petitioners’ counsel J Sreedevi said hundreds of truck loads of sand is being transported to the neighbouring States illegally. The counsel also informed the court that transactions are being taking place in cash and the sand reaches are under the control of some local legislators and ruling party leaders.
Amicus Curiae KS Murthy informed the court that one company is having control over the sand mining in the State. A lorry of sand is being sold at Rs 35,000 at Ibrahimpatnam, he said.
J Yagnadat, the counsel for the MoEFCC, said the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority had issued orders cancelling the permission of 110 sand reaches on the instructions of the NGT. The counsel said the report to be submitted before the NGT, will also be placed before the court.
Government Pleader (Mining Department) Naveen said no illegal sand mining is taking place in the State and no permissions have been given for mining sand. The sand mined earlier is being transported from stock points, he contended.
Not satisfied with the submission of the government, the court directed the collectors and deputy directors of the Mining Department of the erstwhile undivided Krishna and Guntur districts to take steps for curbing illegal sand mining in their jurisdictions.
The officials have been asked to place before the court the steps taken for controlling illegal sand mining.
The court also directed the government to place before it the sand policy of the State, how the price of sand is determined, how the sand is transported from reaches and other details.
Dealing with another petition related to illegal sand mining in Neeva river in Anantapuram gram panchayat of Chittoor district, the court said several petitions are being filed with regard to illegal sand mining, and the said officials who fail to prevent illegal sand mining, would face action.