District Magistrate allowed Illegal mining at Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh: NGT
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said that mining activities are prima facie illegally being carried out at Triveni Ghat along river Ganga in Rishikesh and restrained a contractor from carrying out any mining activities at the ghat or nearby areas.
Citing a Supreme Court ruling, the green court also noted that the District Magistrate (DM) Dehradun allowed mining activities in a “illegal manner”.
“Supreme Court in Deepak Kumar vs. State of Haryana, (2012) has said that whenever there is mining, same cannot be allowed without obtaining Environmental Clearance which has not been done in the present case and it shows that District Magistrate has allowed mining activities in a wholly illegal manner,” the principal bench of the NGT comprising of judicial member Sudhir Agarwal and expert member Afroz Ahmad said in an order dated Wednesday.
The NGT has also ordered to send notices to the Uttarakhand government, Uttarakhand Pollution Control Board, DM Dehradun and others and also directed to them to file their replies.
The NGT was hearing a plea alleging illegal mining activity and excavating sand, from Ganga at Triveni Ghat, Naavghat, Duttatray Ghat, Surya Ghat and Mayakund in Rishikesh, district of Uttarakhand. In September, the court had formed a joint committee to look into the allegations.
“Further, we find from report (of the joint committee) that mining activity was allowed to Akash Jain, S/o Mukesh Kumar Jain R/o 344, Shyampur, Rishikesh District Dehradun for removal of sand near Triveni Ghat area of river Ganga at Rishikesh but it does not appear from record that any environmental clearance and consent was obtained before carrying out mining,” the NGT order said.
The NGT order also noted that the DM altered the committee formed by the tribunal and termed it as “absolutely illegal, unauthorized and beyond his authority” and appropriate criminal action “may be” taken against the DM.
Instead of the DM it was the Deputy Collector who was made part of the committee and did the site visit, according to the order.
Published - October 18, 2024 09:34 am IST
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