Alleged Illegal Mining By BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh: NGT Constitutes Joint Committee To Verify Factual Position

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on a plea alleging illegal mining by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has constituted a Joint Committee to verify the factual position of the same.

A Bench comprising Judicial Member Arun Kumar Tyagi and Expert Member Dr. Senthil Vel directed, “In view of the averments made in the application, we consider it appropriate that a Joint Committee be constituted to verify the factual position and take appropriate remedial action. Accordingly, we constitute a Joint Committee comprising of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control (UPPCB) and District Magistrate, Gonda and direct the same to meet within one week, undertake visits to the site, look into the grievances of the applicant, associate the applicant and representative of the concerned project proponent, verify the factual position and take appropriate remedial action by following due course of law and giving opportunity of being heard to the project proponent.”

The Bench said that the State PCB (Pollution Control Board) will be the nodal agency for coordination and compliance in this matter.

The applicant, Raja Ram Singh filed an application regarding illegal mining by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Member of Parliament from Kesar Ganj in villages Majharath, Jaitpur, Nawabganj, Tehsil Tarbganj, District Gonda, illegal transportation of the extracted minor minerals by overloaded trucks numbering more than 700 every day, storage and illegal sale of minor mineral measuring about 20 lakh cubic meters and damage caused to Patpar Ganj Bridge and Road by overloaded trucks.

The Tribunal in view of the aforesaid matter observed, “Prima facie, the averments made in the application raise questions relating to environment arising out of the implementation of the enactments specified in Schedule I to the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010.”

The NGT while constituting the Joint Committee noted that the said Committee may particularly clarify on compliance with Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016 and Enforcement & Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020 including remediation/rehabilitation of mined areas and damage caused to river Saryu.

It said, “Factual and Action taken Report may be submitted within two months by e-mail at judicial-ngt@gov.in preferably in the form of searchable PDF/OCR Supported PDF and not in the form of Image PDF.”

Accordingly, the NGT listed the matter for further consideration on November 7, 2023.

Cause Title- Raja Ram Singh v. State of U.P.

Click here to read/download the Order