NOIDA: The National Green Tribunal on Thursday issued bailable warrants against 17 people who have been named by UP government for illegal sand mining on the Yamuna floodplains. The warrants were issued following non-appearance of these people in the court. The principal bench of the tribunal had earlier issued directions to 18 people named by UP government to respond to charges of mining sand illegally. Only one accused made an appearance in the court.

The tribunal has also directed that 11 persons, who had been arrested by the police in Gautam Buddh Nagar for stealing seized sand, be present during the next hearing of the case. These 11 people – who are mostly owners of earth-moving machines, trucks and tractors – have been accused of lifting sand seized by the mining department of Gautam Buddh Nagar. The police had registered four FIRs against these persons. It has been alleged that these persons stole over 80 per cent of the 2 lakh cubic meters of sand that had been seized by the mining department.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/National-Green-Tribunal-issues-warrants-against-illegal-sand-miners/articleshow/23115974.cms