Baripada: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has termed the district survey report (DSR) on sand mining in Mayurbhanj district as ‘illegal’ and stayed the tender process of four sand quarries on Budhabalanga river, sources said Tuesday. A bench comprising Justice B Amit Sthalekar and expert panelist Saibal Dasgupta of NGT passed the order Monday. The bench had completed hearing on the matter, August 26. The NGT also directed the state environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA) to review the authenticity of the report by taking into consideration the Supreme Court notification and its order on the survey report of Balasore district. It also put on stay the tender of four sand quarries based on an affidavit filed by the district collector till the final disposal of this case. The SEIAA in an affidavit filed before the NGT stated that the district administration has submitted a second survey report before it in July during final hearing of the case, August 26. The committee will review the report and take action on it, the NGT bench said. The NGT passed the order based on the first statement of the SEIAA.
According to the case diary, a report on minor mineral management was prepared in 2019. Terming the report as illegal, noted environmentalist-cum-honorary wildlife warden Bibekananda Pattanik filed a complaint before the National Green Tribunal. The NGT admitted the petition (Case no46/22) for hearing and heard it April 22, 2022. During the hearing, it directed the Mayurbhanj district collector to file its reply by April 26. The petitioner alleged that the report prepared on minor mineral management is an interim one and the officials concerned have not visited the areas required to for the survey. The petitioner in his plea said the area of the four sand quarries under Badasahi tehsil for which the tender was floated has been reduced by five hectares.
However, in the report the area of the same quarries has been increased by five hectares. The presence of a bridge within the sand ghat has been overlooked. The report has been prepared whimsically considering the facts, the plea further stated. It also pointed out that the report has not been prepared by observing the guidelines framed on sand mining in 2016 and 2020.