Terming illegal rampant sand mining as “serious”, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said such activities needed to be effectively dealt with and asked five states including Tamil Nadu, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh to provide facts and figures on the issue.The top court was hearing a 2018 PIL filed by one M Alagarsamy seeking a CBI probe into illegal sand mining in rivers and beaches in Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
The plea alleged that unregulated illegal sand mining wreaked “environmental havoc” and authorities concerned have allowed entities to operate without the mandatory environmental plan and clearance.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said it needed to check whether a similar petition against the National Green Tribunal order on illegal sand mining was pending in the top court.
“Illegal sand mining is a serious issue and needs to be dealt with effectively,” the CJI said, when advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for PIL petitioner Alagarsamy alleged that the states, instead of taking actions, indulged in a coverup.
The bench wanted to know whether the environmental impact assessment (EIA) was needed for sand mining activities and if the answer was in the affirmative, then what were the prerequisites.
The bench asked the counsel for the five states to come prepared with the facts, figures on the next date of hearing and ordered listing the PIL in the week commencing January 27, 2025.
Senior advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, appearing for Tamil Nadu, said the state was taking effective steps to deal with it.