Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Central Zone Bench, Bhopal, has ordered an immediate halt to sand mining in nine quarries in Madhya Pradesh and directed the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) to review over 237 allegedly illegal environmental clearances (ECs) and report back within four weeks.
The green court found that the clearances were granted without SEIAA approval and restrained miners who obtained ECs through illegal means. The order, passed on February 3 this year, followed an application by Monu Raja, which raised concern about 237 ECs issued under “deemed approval” provisions.
According to the petition, the ECs were allegedly issued by executive officers without placing proposals before SEIAA, which is legally required to make collective decisions in formal meetings. Officials reportedly misused the deemed approval provision, allowing statutory timelines to lapse and bypassing scrutiny, appraisal and public consultation.
The Tribunal noted that even 48 repeated warnings from the then SEIAA chairman to senior state and central authorities failed to stop violations, suggesting wilful and systematic disregard of environmental law. Notices have been issued to all respondents for replies within four weeks, with the next hearing scheduled for April 6, 2026. Until then, no mining will be allowed without fresh, lawful SEIAA approvals.
Public hearings, impact studies ignored
The case focused on 10 sand mining leases where mandatory public hearings were allegedly flouted. Nine quarries were granted ECs without proper Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Management Plans (EMP) or replenishment studies, despite Supreme Court directions in Deepak Kumar vs State of Haryana and subsequent NGT rulings. Several leases were also located in areas submerged under water most of the year, where mining has been previously prohibited.
NGT’s directions
The Tribunal found that ECs were issued by executive officers without SEIAA appraisal or approval violated Sections 2, 3, and 6 of the EIA Notification, 2006. Such clearances have no legal force. Mining in the affected quarries is halted immediately, and SEIAA must re-examine all cases strictly according to law.
