CUTTACK: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered for a halt to sand mining in Subarnarekha river under Jaleswar tehsil in Balasore district after a joint inspection committee formed by it confirmed illegalities and violation of pollution norms by the leaseholders.
The Tribunal issued the ban order on Thursday after the report submitted by the committee indicated that there was excess mining beyond the permissible limit and sand was extracted beyond the mining lease area.
In its report, the committee has suggested prohibition of use of machineries by leaseholders and enforcement of movement period from 8 am to 4 pm with speed limit of 20 km per hour of transport vehicles on village roads along with water spraying on the roads.
The NGT’s Principal Bench (New Delhi) of Justice SP Wandi (Judicial Member) and Dr Nagin Nanda (Expert Member) said, “The report of the committee has been placed before us for consideration. On perusal of the report, we find that gross infractions are being committed by the leaseholders thereby prima facie substantiating the contentions raised by the applicant in the original application.”
“Having regard to the adverse finding of the committee contained in the report, we direct that there shall be no mining of sand until further orders. In any case, the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Policy Guidelines, 2016 and the notifications issued by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change pursuant thereto prohibit sand mining during the monsoon,” the NGT Bench ordered.
The Tribunal had constituted the committee on June 9 to ascertain the veracity of the allegations made in an application filed by Laxmidhar Pallai and two other residents of Panchughanta village. Advocate Shankar Prasad Pani argued on behalf of the applicants.
The NGT has given the leaseholders the liberty to file comments/objections within two weeks and ordered for listing of the matter on September 15.