Objection raised to the Joint Committee report on EC granted for proposed river sand mining, village Nandha, Orai, Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh, 09/08/2022
Objections to the joint committee report submitted to the National Green Tribunal, May 24, 2022 in pursuance of the National Green Tribunal order, February 18, 2022 in the matter of Ghanai Vs State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Uttar Pradesh & Others.
The appellant had filed appeal before the NGT challenging the Environmental Clearance, December 3, 2021 granted by the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, Uttar Pradesh to M/s R.N.S. Pvt. Ltd. for proposed river sand/morrum mining at Gata No. 03GA, Khand No.-03, village Nandha, Orai, Jalaun, Uttar Pradesh. The sanctioned lease area is 8.502 ha.
The appellant has said that the Joint Committee report makes it clear that the project proponent has not yet obtained consent to operate from the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board. The project proponent has not conducted the primary survey of flora and fauna study as per the Environmental Clearance (EC) terms and conditions. The compliance reports of general conditions and specific conditions of EC have not been submitted by the project proponent, the appellant pointed out.
The appellant also raised objections to the Joint Committee report - the report does not address the two primary grievances raised in the appeal, which also form part of the NGT order, February 18, 2022.
The objections raised were the following:
1. The leased area for proposed mining is habitat of crocodiles, under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and they use the area for nesting
2. The Environment Clearance has been obtained by concealing the above facts
3. The site in question is a rocky terrain/ rock having insufficient volume of mineable mineral as required for carrying out mining activities, which may give rise to the probability of illegal mining from the agricultural land of the appellant which is adjacent to the proposed site.
The appellant has requested that the Chief Wild Life Warden, government of Uttar Pradesh should be directed to carry out the exercise of ascertaining whether the proposed mining site is being used by crocodiles for nesting.