Illegal Sand Business Rampant in Seraikela despite NGT Act

Despite the ban under NGT Act, sand mafia continues to illegally mine sand in Seraikela district, with suspicions of a nexus with the mining department.

SERAIKELA – The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Act is in effect across the country, imposing a complete ban on sand mining.

However, in the Seraikela district of Jharkhand, the sand mafia continues to operate in full swing, blatantly ignoring the law and administration.

The silence of the mining department in this matter raises suspicions of a possible nexus with the sand mafia.

Every day, hundreds of trucks and tractors are seen lifting sand, both in daylight and in the cover of night, with no hindrance.

Footage from the cameras at the Giddibeda toll plaza, located in the Kandra police station area of the district, reveals how laden trucks and tractors are crossing the highway without any checks.

These overloaded vehicles, clearly violating rules, are left unattended on the roads.

Despite the visible evidence in camera footage, the mining department and the police administration seem to be turning a blind eye, raising questions about who really governs the district – the law or the sand mafia.

Despite the state government’s claims to combat illegal mining, the sand mafia continues to operate unimpeded, with no one stepping in to stop them.

NGT Act & Sand Mining Provisions

There are a number of laws pertaining to sand mining under the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Act of India, 2010.

These clauses are meant to control sand mining and stop its unlawful and harmful practises.

Sand mining calls for an environmental permit since it is a significant contributor to environmental pollution and deterioration.

Because of this, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) must provide environmental clearance for all sand mining operations under the NGT Act.

The NGT Act also mandates that district survey reports (DSRs) be used to control all sand mining operations. DSRs are in-depth studies that evaluate a district’s sand resources and pinpoint locations that are ideal for sand mining.

The NGT Act mandates that SMMCs be established to oversee all sand mining operations. SMMCs are made up of officials from the federal, state, and municipal governments, as well as the sand mining sector.

They are in charge of making sure that sand mining is done in a way that is ecologically friendly and sustainable.

Penalties for unauthorised sand mining may be imposed by the NGT using the authority granted by the NGT Act.

These sanctions may take the form of fines, incarceration, or both.

In India, sand mining has been controlled in large part because to the NGT Act. To stop unethical and unsustainable sand mining practises, the Act still needs to be enforced more effectively.

Rules Violation

Sand mining in India is governed by a number of different rules and regulations in addition to those included in the NGT Act. These consist of:Act of 1957 on Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development), The 1986 Environmental Protection Act, Act of 1974 on Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) and the 1981 Act for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution

For the purpose of regulating sand mining in India, these rules and regulations provide a thorough framework. However, at the ground level, nobody seems to care about the framework. Not even the Mining Department.