Bhopal | Jul 27, 2016: Activist Medha Patkar was not convinced with replies put up by SP, collector and mining officer with regard to old leases from 1988-89 in the area around Dhar village, on Day 2 of hearing on petition of the activist, held on Tuesday. Meanwhile, National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench went through details of commissioner's report on illegal mining in Dhar before questioning authorities on stocked sand lying in Bada Barda village for more than two years.
Commissioner's report was submitted to NGT over illegal mining in submergence area of Sardar Sarovar Project and the stocked sand lying for more than two years in Bada Barda of Dhar district on Day 2.
According to the report, the sand stocked was not from the fresh mining, but Patkar was consistent on highlighting the inaction by the mining department, which allegedly led to murders in the area. Bada Barda falls under Manavar district.
"About a 100 truckloads of sand are stocked in this highly sensitive area for past two to three years, when mining activities were active there," said commissioner appointed by NGT Dharamveer Sharma.
NGT central bench, after seeing the report of 37 cases registered told the authorities that their compliance to the orders of tribunal was inadequate and they needed to get builders and receivers of illegally mined sand booked under various sections of IPC.
The green panel also highlighted that they have been informed that most of the sand is being taken towards Indore and Maharashtra for sale.
Patkar told TOI, "There was no mention of this old lease earlier. We will verify this. They claim of making the committees to check and report the mining to police at village levels where sarpanches have been made heads, but those sarpanches don't know that they are part of any such committee."
"They are reluctant to register cases. Unlike other districts like Khargone, Barwani and Alirajpur, officials concerned didn't register cases even when we caught illegal miners red-handed in Dhar," she alleged.
According to Dhar administrative officials, there is about 172 kilometres of land alongside Narmada river.
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)