Increasing Mining of Sand on River Beds

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) order of 5th August, 2013 in Original Application No.171 of 2013 restrains any person, company, authority to carry out any mining activity or removal of sand, from river beds anywhere in the country without obtaining Environmental Clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) / State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and license from the competent authorities. This was stated by Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

The Minister further stated that sand mining is regulated in terms of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the Minor Mineral Concession Rules framed by the State Government there under. Further, the projects of sand mining require prior environmental clearance. For any violation, the necessary legal action would be taken, the Minister added.