National Green Tribunal to probe alleged sand mining in Yamuna river

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal has formed a committee to examine alleged illegal sand mining in the Yamuna river after the chief executive officer of Delhi Jal Board moved the green panel on the matter. 

A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel asked the committee to submit a report within a month.

“Let the District Magistrate, Delhi, Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) look into the matter and take appropriate action in accordance with law and furnish a factual and action taken report to this Tribunal within one month from the date of receipt of copy of this order by e-mail,” the bench said.

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The DPCC will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance, the tribunal said and directed that a copy of the order, along with the complaint, be sent to the DPCC, CPCB and District Magistrate by e-mail for compliance.

“Needless to say that order of National Green Tribunal is binding as a decree of court and non-compliance is actionable by way of punitive action including prosecution, in terms of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010,” the bench said while posting the matter for hearing on December 5.

The tribunal was hearing a plea filed by Delhi Jal Board CEO Anil Kumar Singh alleging that 17 kilometres downstream of Tajewala barrage, a blockade is being built on the main river course downstream of the confluence of the rivers Somb and Yamuna.

This will obstruct the flow of the said rivers and is being done to undertake illegal sand mining, the plea said.

The green panel had earlier that said that pollution in the Yamuna was of serious concern as the river was highly contaminated with industrial effluent and sewage.