Mining with impunity

Hearing of the sand mining case on March 31, 2004:

Sand mining operations are being conducted in open violation of all norms and laws at Jajmau stretch of river Ganga in Kanpur. The sand mining operations have a disastrous impact on the ecological health of the river. Recently, Eco Friends filed a Writ Petition before Central Empowered Committee, constituted by Hon’ble Supreme Court of India. The hearing of the case was held on March 31, 2004. The CEC after hearing the matter directed the counsel for the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to immediately send a fact-finding team to be formed by the RCCF to verify the allegations made in the Application No 313 of 2003.

The CEC noted that the allegations were serious in view of the fact that the specific conditions imposed by the Ministry of Environment and Forests while granting clearance under Section 2 of the Forest (conservation) act, 1980 was alleged to have been violated.

The matter is to again come up after 4 weeks together with the report of the site inspection.

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