NOIDA: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday asked 49 people accused of illegal sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar to justify why they should not be penalized for degrading ecology. Police had caught them for illegal mining on the Yamuna riverbed in the district.

The principal bench of the tribunal headed by chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar issued this order while hearing a petition against illegal sand mining.

On Wednesday, police and UP government informed the tribunal 129 people have been nabbed for illegal sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar. The 49 people issued notices by the bench are among those 94 who have already been served notices by the police.

The tribunal has also given the state power to serve notices to the remainder 35 offenders. Further, the principal bench outlined in the order on Wednesday that the case would be restricted to the environmental aspects of illegal sand mining alone.

“We make it clear that the proceedings in this application shall be confined to ecological and environmental degradation resulting from illegal mining as well as for removal of seized sand against whom FIRs have been registered,” states the order.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/noida/National-Green-Tribunal-questions-sand-miners/articleshow/30692358.cms