Raipur
The Chhattisgarh High Court has expressed strong displeasure over illegal mining activities in Nisda village of Arang near Raipur. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal directed an immediate stay on mining conducted outside sanctioned lease areas.
The court further ordered the Secretary of the Mineral Resources Department to file a personal affidavit regarding the matter. Reports indicate that illegal excavation has rendered nearly 400 acres of agricultural land barren. Authorities have issued notices to impose a fine of ₹30 crore on the erring leaseholders. The next hearing is scheduled for 26 February.
Background of the case
The directions came during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Om Prakash Sen, a resident of Nisda. The petitioner submitted that leases were granted to 15 individuals for the excavation of flagstone and limestone.
The petition alleged that leaseholders occupied and mined an area five times larger than what was officially sanctioned. It further stated that mining waste and stones are being dumped directly into the Mahanadi river, obstructing its natural flow and damaging 400 acres of nearby farmland.
Violations of environmental norms
The petitioner also alleged that mining and blasting continue unabated in the region despite the environmental clearance having expired three years ago.
State government’s response
Representing the state, the counsel informed the court that the Collector had initiated an inquiry through the mining department. The probe found seven leaseholders guilty of extracting minerals without valid environmental clearances. Consequently, the department issued notices to these individuals to pay a penalty of ₹30 crore.
Court’s queries
The High Court sought clarity on the current status of the investigation. The bench asked the Secretary of the Mineral Resources Department to specify through an affidavit what action has been taken against those dumping waste into the Mahanadi.
The court also ordered that any separate petitions filed by the leaseholders against this action will be clubbed and heard along with the current PIL.
