The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has disposed of a Suo Motu application registered on the basis of a news item disclosing illegal sand mining in Upper Bari Doab Canal near Gurdaspur, Punjab.
The news item was based upon a video with the allegation that sand was being stolen from the canal with the help of JCB and trolley when MNREGA workers had gone after completing their work.
The Tribunal by order dated 18.03.2024 had impleaded the respondents and issued notice to them.
To ascertain the correct position, the Tribunal by order dated 22.05.2024 had formed a Joint Committee with a direction to the Committee to visit the site, ascertain the correct position on the spot and submit the report.
The Joint Committee has submitted the report on 03.07.2024 stating that the Committee had inspected the site on 25.06.2024 and taken the feedback of the local villagers.
In the report of the Deputy Commissioner, Gurdaspur dated 15.03.2024 and report filed on 17.05.2024 as also the report of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), stand has been taken that the main line UBDC canal was under closure and necessary repair work on the bank (Dhussi) of canal was being carried out in the area of Village Dhariwal Khichian, Tehsil and District, Gurdaspur, where major portion of the bank had eroded due to high discharge in the canal during rainy season for which the MNREGA labour was engaged and in this background, it has been stated that no illegal sand mining has taken place.
The Deputy Commissioner, Gurdaspur in the report filed on 17.05.2024 has taken the plea that during the repair work a photo of the sand being filled by the JCB machine was taken by a journalist and put on Facebook and other channels under the name of illegal mining which went viral.
In all the above reports/replies, it has been stated that no illegal sand mining has taken place.
Having regard to the above reports, the Principal Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Dr A. Senthil Vel held that no further action in this application is required.
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