In a bid to verify the factual position and take appropriate action on a plea claiming illegal mining by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh in some villages of Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district, the National Green Tribunal has formed a panel on Thursday.
What does the petition say?
According to the petition, singh has been involved in carrying out illegal mining in Majharath, Jaitpur and Nawabganj villages of Tarbganj tehsil in the district.
The plea also alleged "illegal transportation of extracted minor minerals by overloaded trucks numbering more than 700 every day, storage and illegal sale of minor minerals measuring about 20 lakh cubic metres and damage caused to Patpar Ganj bridge and road by overloaded trucks".
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What did the NGT say?
According to a bench of judicial member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and expert member A Senthil Vel, “Prima facie, the averments made in the application raise questions relating to the environment…”
“In view of the averments made in the application, we consider it appropriate that a joint committee be constituted to verify the factual position and take appropriate remedial action," the bench said on Wednesday.
NGT forms panel
To streamline the process of investigation, the tribunal formed a joint committee comprising the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control (UPPCB) and District Magistrate, Gonda.
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The committee has been instructed to “meet within one week, undertake visits to the site, look into the grievances of the applicant, associate the applicant and representative of the concerned project proponent, verify the factual position and take appropriate remedial action by following due course of law and giving the opportunity of being heard to the project proponent.”
“The committee may particularly clarify on compliance with the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016, and Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020, including remediation/rehabilitation of mined areas and damage caused to river Saryu,” the tribunal said.
It said the factual and action taken report had to be submitted within two months.
The matter has been posted for further proceedings on November 7.
