Eight-member panel to check whether mining is in compliance with laws
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has decided to appoint an eight-member committee to check whether riverbed sand-mining in Kerala is being done in compliance with the sand-mining policy of the Union government and various environmental laws.
The Southern Bench of the tribunal recommended the formation of the committee after taking suo motu notice of media reports quoting a study that recommended that nearly 30.3 lakh cubic metres out of the 81.45 lakh cubic metres accumulated sand in the Bharathapuzha river can be mined.
Lacking clarity The Bench comprising Justice K. Ramakrishnan and expert member Saibal Dasgupta said that the court lacked clarity on the procedure adopted by the District Collectors while granting permission for mining the excess sand. It is also not known as to whether the district survey reports are prepared in a scientific manner as per the guidelines, it said.