The Meghalaya High Court today said that any public spirited individual should approach the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding the extent of illegal sand mining and sand mining activities in general across the State.
The full bench of the High Court during its hearing on the matter today said that the suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) was adjourned on April 19 after noticing that a notification had been published by the State government on April 14 regarding sand mining etc following the directions of the NGT issued on April 5, 2019 and February 26, 2021.
“An impression was given that the NGT was still monitoring all illegal sand-mining activities in the State and appropriate directions had been issued,” the High Court said adding that on April 19 it passed an order that if there was a matter before the NGT that covered the subject-matter of the present proceedings, the present proceedings may be closed.
However, Amicus Curiae S Sen today told the High Court that the matter before the NGT is confined to the illegal sand mining and extraction of rocks and stones from riverbeds in the Ri-Bhoi district. The NGT, according to Sen, has not taken up several complaints pertaining to the same issue in respect of the other districts.
“Since a specialised body has taken up a matter relating to one aspect and covering a particular district, leave is given to any public spirited individual to approach the NGT to expand the scope of the proceedings before it to address the same issue elsewhere. In other words, the NGT may be approached to consider the extent of illegal sand mining and sand-mining activities in general across the State,” the High Court said.
The court also expressed hope that the NGT broadens the scope of the proceedings before it and takes immediate appropriate measures to ensure that the law of the land is followed. The High Court also fixed June 21 as the date for the next hearing on the matter.
