Environment Ministry’s panel finds illegal sand mining in Gautam Buddh Nagar

August 18, 2013

The environment ministry team found facts of the widespread illegal sand mining in Gautam Buddh Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. The team was set up by the ministry in the backdrop of the suspension of the district’s sub divisional magistrate Durga Shakti Nagpal who took on the illegal mining in the area.

Steps suggested by the panel to prevent illegal sand mining:

The state must adopt and implement the rules set out for riverbed mining which lay down specification of mining depth, location of mining leases.
Those holding mining leases are required to have their mining plans approved by the state’s mining and geology department.
A cumulative impact assessment must be undertaken to assess pollution, adequacy of infrastructure.

All the mining activity must have environmental clearance. It has been recommended that cumulative impact assessment of riverbed mining be undertaken before giving clearance, as well as stepping up monitoring.

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