File picture of sand mining on banks of Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh
A committee set up by the Environment Ministry has found evidence of illegal sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh, where IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal was recently suspended for reportedly cracking down on sand mining mafia, sources said today.
A highly placed source in the know of content of the draft report prepared by the three-member panel told PTI that the team has secured evidence to establish the fact that illegal sand mining is happening in the district.
The report reveals incidents of ecological violations in the area, the source said, adding the final version of the report will be submitted to Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan on Monday.
The committee headed by Saroj, a director in the Environment Ministry, was asked to enquire into adverse environmental impact of alleged illegal sand mining in the UP district.
The panel, in which deputy collector of mines of IBM Dehradun office GC Meena and director in the regional office of Environment Ministry in Lucknow KK Garg as members, was asked to submit its report this week.
It is learnt to have ascertained the "factual position" about the allegations of illegal mining in the area.
The sources said that team has also suggested further course of action in the matter.
The team was constituted in wake of various reports highlighting the menace of alleged illegal sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar. The Ministry says that "illegal mining has serious environmental and ecological repercussions."
It had also referred to reports in print and electronic media with visuals of heavy machinery being used in illegal sand mining.
Mrs Nagpal, the 28-year-old SDM of Gautam Budh Nagar, who led the crackdown on sand mining mafia, was suspended on July 27 ostensibly for ordering demolition of a mosque's wall allegedly without following the due process.
According to the ministry, no sand mining from any mining lease area can take place without obtaining prior environment clearance.
The Environment Ministry deals with the cases of environment clearance in respect of projects of mining of minor minerals with lease area equal to or above 50 hectare.