The national green tribunal (NGT) on Monday banned mining or removal of sand from river beds across the country without an environmental clearance amid the uproar over suspension of an IAS officer who had cracked down on sand mafia in Uttar Pradesh. In its order, the Tribunal noted that the loss caused to the state exchequer due to illegal sand mining may run into lakhs of crores of rupees.
The order was given on a plea alleging that such activities were going on in UP with the ‘wilful connivance’ of its state machinery.
Widening the ambit of the plea, a bench headed by NGT chairman Justice Swatanter Kumar said its order would be applicable across the nation as the petition raised substantial environmental issues.
Initially, the bench banned illegal sand mining on the beds and banks of rivers Yamuna, Ganga, Hindon, Chambal, Gomti, among others, but later modified its order saying the issue of illegally removing sand has nationwide implications. The bench said the clearance has to be obtained from the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) or state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA).
The order was given on a plea alleging that such activities were going on in UP with the ‘wilful connivance’ of its state machinery.
Widening the ambit of the plea, a bench headed by NGT chairman Justice Swatanter Kumar said its order would be applicable across the nation as the petition raised substantial environmental issues.
Initially, the bench banned illegal sand mining on the beds and banks of rivers Yamuna, Ganga, Hindon, Chambal, Gomti, among others, but later modified its order saying the issue of illegally removing sand has nationwide implications. The bench said the clearance has to be obtained from the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) or state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA).