Nagpur | Nov 23, 2017: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) quashed environmental clearances (ECs) for sand mining in Gondia district. It also directed a stay on sand mining activity in the area and asked tehsildars of the concerned areas to file fresh applications.

The appeal was filed by businessman Mirza Baig before the Pune-based Western bench alleging that ECs awarded to sand ghats are without 'Approved Mine Plan' (AMP). It included those in Tiroda, Amgaon and Arjuni Morgaon among others.

The petitioner claimed that the District Environment Impact Assessment Authority (DEIAA) and District Expert Appraisal Committee (DEAC) granted the ECs, contrary to the notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) on January 15, 2016.

According to the notification, an AMP must be prepared by authorized officers of Quality Council of India (QCI) or the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The notification also stipulates that EC must be issued by the DEIAA or DEAC.

Counsel Saurabh Kulkarni, appearing for the petitioner, argued that project proponents (tehsildars) purposefully did not submit the AMP to the designated authorities which showed conflict of interest.

He also pointed out that the district collector is authorized to grant ECs and auction the sand ghats. But in this case the collector's chief concern was generating revenue.

The district mining officer (DMO), Gondia filed a reply before the NGT on behalf of the project proponents. He stated that the provision of AMP is mandatory for stone quarries and not sand ghats. He added that AMPs are only prepared and approved for a period of more than five years. The sand ghats have been leased for a period of less than a year and so an AMP is not applicable in this case.

(Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)