Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding illegal mining activities, Bhind district, Madhya Pradesh, 06/10/2021
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Dileep Pathak Vs State of Madhya Pradesh & Others dated 06/10/2021.
Issues raised in this application are illegal mining activities carried out by Power Mech Projects Limited in Bhind District of Madhya Pradesh, in the region other than the area which was awarded to the contractor in the mining lease, with the use of heavy machinery and causing degradation of environmental rules.
The other major issues raised were the use of boats to extract sand from the bottom of the bed of river Sindh which has resulted in disruption of the river course. Deep pits of upto 40-50 feet are caused to be created during the illegal mining by excessive instream mining which has also resulted in depletion of water level and groundwater.
Counsel for the applicant (Dileep Pathak) said that though the facts contained in the Joint Committee report revealed that there was no illegal mining but illegal mining was continuing without any check or any control by the authorities concerned.
The Tribunal refused to entertain the oral information and said that the Joint Committee report found non-operation of any mining by use of boats or heavy machinery due to flood conditions. There was no sign of tree cutting, since mines were not in operation. The consent which was issued in favour of M/s Power Mech projects Limited has been surrendered and since nothing has been reported with regard to the violation of environmental norms by the Joint Committee, no further action is required by the court, the bench of Justice Sheo Kumar Singh of the NGT (Central Zone Bench, Bhopal) said in the order, October 6, 2021.