Criminal nexus: NGT forms 2 joint panels on mining issues
Shiv Kumar Sharma
Yamunanagar, August 12
Taking a serious note of illegal mining in Yamunanagar district of Haryana and Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has constituted two joint committees.
The panels were constituted by Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, judicial member of the NGT, and Dr A Senthil Vel, expert member, on August 4 on a petition of Balbir Sandhu of Yamunanagar district, complaining illegal mining in the two districts.
Sources said one joint committee would undertake thorough investigation of the cases related to illegal mining in Yamunanagar and Saharanpur districts.
The joint committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of Chairman, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which shall, in addition, comprise Member Secretaries, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana and District Magistrates of Yamunanagar and Saharanpur districts.
The joint committee shall collect details of the replenishment studies carried out in Yamunanagar and Saharanpur districts; about the number of mining leases (area and quantity) and permits sanctioned in these districts with details of environmental clearance (EC), consent to establish (CTE) and consent to operate (CTO) and about the number of mining permits for mining in agricultural land granted in these districts with details of the EC, CTE and CTO.
Besides collecting details on several other points, it will collect details about the number of stone crushers established or operating in these districts with details of the EC, CTE and CTO.
However, the other joint committee shall study the sources of sediments, the quantity of sediments, mining activities being undertaken along the Yamuna and the impact of mining on the hydro-geology and environment of the river. This committee shall also suggest remedial steps to identify suitable locations to permit mining of minerals with minimum adverse impact.
Besides giving suggestions on a number of points, it shall suggest the mechanism to monitor the transportation of the minerals by utilising information technology, including drones to monitor the mining activities, besides suggesting erosion control mechanisms and flood-control mechanisms in a river to protect people and property.
This joint committee shall include Chairman of the CPCB, a scientist not below the rank of Scientist (G) to be nominated by Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Senior Scientist to be nominated by Member Secretary, CPCB, one Professor each from the NIT Kurukshetra and IIT Roorkee to be nominated by the Directors thereof and one Scientist from the Space Application Centre, Ahmedabad, to be nominated by Director thereof to carry out the study.
The joint committees have been asked to submit factual and action taken reports within two months with the NGT and the next date for hearing has been fixed for November 9.
