Bhubaneswar: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the state government that no sand mining in Subarnarekha river passing Balasore district can be carried out without submission of a fresh District Survey Report. The environment watchdog’s Eastern Zone bench issued the direction recently while hearing a petition filed by advocate Sankar Prasad Pani assisted by Ashutosh Padhy. The petitioner had challenged the District Survey Report of Balasore Collector saying that the administration didn’t follow the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines. The green body said that the need for replenishment study for riverbed sand is required to nullify the adverse impacts arising of excessive sand extraction. Mining within or near the riverbed has a direct impact on the stream’s physical characteristics, such as channel geometry, bed elevation, substratum composition and stability, instream roughness of the bed, flow velocity, discharge capacity, sediment transport capacity, turbidity and temperature.
In the present case, because of the May 30, 2024 letter of the Collector & District Magistrate, Balasore, since no replenishment study has been carried out in the district (Balasore), the impugned order of approval of the District Survey Report is liable for revocation and cannot be acted upon. “In absence of replenishment study in the district, duly considered by State Expert Appraisal Committee and approved by State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), Odisha, no sand mining can be carried out in the stretch of Subarnarekha river passing through Balasore,” read the NGT order. “We accordingly allow the present appeal and quash the impugned order of approval of the District Survey Report. However, without prejudice to the order that has been passed hereinabove, we may observe that it will always be open for SEIAA, Odisha to reconsider the matter of granting of approval of District Survey Report, if the same is submitted afresh with replenishment study, in accordance with law,” it added.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP