NGT Bans Sand Mining in Mayurbhanj

Baripada: In a significant step to combat illegal sand mining, the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Eastern Zone Bench in Kolkata, has banned all sand mining activities in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district until a proper District Survey Report (DSR) is prepared and approved.

The order, delivered on Friday by a bench comprising Justice B. Amit Sthalekar (Judicial Member) and Dr. Arun Kumar Verma (Expert Member), mandates that mining operations can resume only after the DSR is reviewed by the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) and approved by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).

The judgment aims to ensure sustainable mining practices and prevent illegal exploitation of natural resources, addressing growing concerns over unregulated sand mining in Odisha, which has caused severe environmental damage and harmed river ecosystems.

The tribunal declared the interim DSR invalid as it had not been submitted to SEIAA for approval. An interim stay on sand mining, imposed on August 8, 2024, will remain in effect until a valid DSR is approved.

The NGT referred to similar cases in other districts, such as Balasore, where sand mining was halted for the same reasons. It also emphasized that any mining activity conducted without a valid DSR violates environmental laws, as outlined in the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification, 2016, and the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016.

This order is seen as a critical step toward regulating sand mining and protecting the environment in Odisha.