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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Environment committee finds illegal sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar
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Environment committee finds illegal sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar

Committee finds illegal sand mining taking place in 5 out of the 7 sites visited on the banks of Yamuna and Hindon rivers

The report has said that in-stream mining should be avoided, but if it is to be permitted then the state government should first study its impact. Photo: Hindustan Times (Hindustan Times)Premium
The report has said that in-stream mining should be avoided, but if it is to be permitted then the state government should first study its impact. Photo: Hindustan Times
(Hindustan Times)

New Delhi: The committee appointed by the environment ministry to look into the illegal sand mining issue in Gautam Budh Nagar, or Noida, has found that there is rampant illegal mining taking place on the bank of the Yamuna river.

“In view of the observations of the committee, existing legal framework and the directions given by the various courts for mining of minor minerals it is evident that rampant, unscientific and illegal mining has been going on at various locations in the Gautam Budh Nagar district along the Yamuna river. This is in violation of the environmental regulations, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the directions given by the Supreme Court, high court of Allahabad and NGT New Delhi," said the committee’s report which was submitted to the environment ministry on 9 August.

Environment ministry had setup a three member committee on 6 August to look into the illegal sand mining issue after IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal had been suspended following her crackdown on the illegal sand mining mafia in Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party-led state government has, however, continued to maintain that the officer was suspended for demolishing the wall of a mosque.

The committee found illegal sand mining taking place in five out of the seven sites visited on the banks of Yamuna and Hindon rivers.

The committee’s report has suggested that specific river stretches should be identified and mining permits should be granted stretch wise for riverbed sand mining so that the requisite safeguard measures can be implemented and monitored by the regulatory authorities. It also said that “The depth of mining may be restricted to 3m/water level."

“The proponent should also prepare a mine plan which should be duly approved by the state department of mines and geology," the report suggested among other things.

The report has said that in-stream mining should be avoided, but if it is to be permitted then the state government should first study its impact.

It reiterates that prior environmental clearance is mandatory from the ministry, irrespective of the area. It also says that a cumulative impact of sand mining in the area needs to be looked at. “The cumulative impact study should emphasize on pollution load due to transportation, available infrastructure for transportation, details of transportation of mined out materials as per the Indian Road Congress for both the ways (loaded as well as unloaded trucks) rate of sedimentation etc.," it says.

It also suggests that an annual replenishment study should be conducted, and in case “the replenishment is low the mining activity /production levels shall accordingly be decreased/stopped."

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on 5 August had banned mining or removal of sand from river beds without environmental clearance from the environment ministry.

“Besides violations of law, the mining activity is being carried out on a large scale, causing state revenue loss which may be running into lakhs of crores of rupees," the order by the green court had said.

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Published: 09 Aug 2013, 09:17 PM IST
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