Ganjam: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ordered a probe into alleged illegal sand mining at the Bhimpur Sand Bed in Odisha’s Ganjam district, constituting a joint committee to examine claims of violations of environmental clearance conditions.
The case relates to the Bhimpur Sand Bed, spread over 10.425 acres (4.219 hectares) under Khata Number 640 and Plot No 1320 in Bhimpur village under Purushottampur tahasil. The mining lease for the sand bed is held by Janaki Devi Mishra.
Taking cognisance of the allegations, NGT directed the formation of a joint committee comprising representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB), and the Ganjam District Magistrate. The committee has been asked to meet within two weeks, conduct site inspections, examine the grievances raised by petitioners, hear both the applicants and the project proponent, verify facts on the ground, and recommend appropriate remedial measures.
Ganjam District Magistrate has been designated as the nodal agency for coordination and compliance. The committee has been directed to submit its report within one month from the receipt of the tribunal’s order.
The matter came before the tribunal on a petition filed by Tuna Das and Rajani Kanta Padhy. The petitioners alleged that the lessee has been using heavy machinery, including excavators and Hyva trucks, despite mechanical mining being prohibited in sand mining operations.
They further alleged that mining activities were being carried out far beyond the sanctioned lease area of 10 acres, extending to nearly 48 acres. According to the petition, satellite imagery from Google Earth and geotagged photographs indicate extraction of sand from areas outside the lease boundary. The petitioners also claimed that the lessee had obstructed the natural flow of water and was extracting sand from multiple plots in neighbouring mouzas, including Bhimpur, Ashoknagar and Burutulu.
Hearing the matter May 26, a bench comprising Judicial Member Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Expert Member Ishwar Singh observed that the allegations raised substantial environmental issues requiring detailed examination.
The tribunal has issued notices seeking responses within one month from the authorities and individuals named as respondents in the case.
These include the Chief Secretary of Odisha, Ganjam Collector, Deputy Director of Mines (Ganjam Circle), Tahasildar of Purushottampur, Member Secretaries of the OSPCB and State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Odisha Space Applications Centre (ORSAC), and private respondent Janaki Devi Mishra.
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