Mining mafia: NGT questions who will bell the cat?
Shimla, April 18, 2019: Principal Bench of National Green Tribunal has again hauled the Himachal Pradesh dispensation over the coals for ignorance about laws related to environment and not checking rampant illegal mining.
Irrespective of any government, illegal mining continues unabated, not only threatening the environment
but damaging many bridges and other properties.Illegal unscientific mining and exploitation of massive mineral wealth, along the major riverbanks in the state, cause heavy floods and soil erosion, a group fighting for conservation of the environment alleged.
Successive governments have failed to check the powerful mining mafia or challenge, check and stop their activities, it submitted.
The New Delhi-based green bench passed an order stating that Member Secretary of Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Dr RK Pruthi, lacked knowledge about environment laws.
Dr Pruthi had filed a report before the bench in a matter of illegal sand mining in Kangra district.
Stinging criticism
Disposing of an application filed by the Mandi Area Environment Consecration Committee against state of Himachal Pradesh, a bench consisting of NGT chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel, Judicial member Mr K Ramakrishnan and expert Nagin Nanda passed the order last month.
NGT also directed Chief Secretary BK Aggarwal to appropriately counsel the Member Secretary of State PCB so that he could acquire minimum knowledge required for performing his duties.
Environment norms, the NGT ruled, could certainly be overseen by the state PCB even if there was some overlapping. Mining Department, it held, may mainly oversee the compliance of Mining law.
The PCB could not disown the responsibility of overseeing the monitoring and compliance of environmental norms, NGT held in its two-page order, a copy of which was sent on e-mail to Mr Aggarwal for its compliance.
Dr Pruthi had informed the NGT that issue of alleged illegal mining does not fall in the purview or mandate of the State PCB and illegal mining is to be checked by the geological wing of Industries Department under the 1957 Mineral Act.
NGT, on December 12, 2018, took cognizance of an application filed by the MAECC regarding lack of action against illegal mining.
The bench had ordered the State PCB and Collector Kangra to furnish a factual and action taken report in the matter.
It was not the first occasion when such a stinging rebuke was delivered by NGT against the State PCB. (agency)