The National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu cognizance of the issue of illegal mining in progress in Jamshedpur border area.
The petition is registered suo motu on the basis of the news item appearing in the daily newspaper .
As per the report, though the mining department in a raid tried to arrest the sand mafia engaged in illegal mining, but the violators succeeded in escaping and some trucks loaded with the sand were seized.
The news item raises substantial issue relating to compliance of provisions of the Scheduled enactments.
“Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter in suo motu exercise of power has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897.”
Hence, the Principal Bench of Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Dr. A Senthil Vel impleaded the following as respondents in the matter:
(i) Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board, through its Member Secretary
(ii) Deputy Commissioner/District Magistrate, Seraikela
Since the matter relates to the Eastern Zonal Bench, Kolkata , therefore , the Bench transferred the matter to the Eastern Zonal Bench for appropriate further action. Office is directed by the NGT to transfer the original record to the Eastern Zonal Bench and the matter is listed on 02.04.2024.