Anushka Sharma-
Published On: November 12, 2021 at 16:50 IST
The Supreme Court on Thursday approved the Implementation of most of the Recommendations made by a Central Empowered Committee (CEC), paving the way for the Lawful mining of riverbed sand in the State of Rajasthan to resume after a four-year hiatus.
After the Supreme Court ruling in November 2017 Prohibiting all 82 sand mining leases in the State from carrying out mining activities without Environmental approvals and a Scientific replenishing assessment, Legally extracted riverbed sand has become rare in Rajasthan.
In its report, the CEC Recommended, “River sand mining in Rajasthan is permitted to be conducted after obtaining all statutory clearances and payment of dues and applicable taxes.”
This was among the Recommendations approved for implementation by a Three-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao, Sanjiv Khanna, and B R Gavai
The Supreme Court ordered the CEC to implement the NGT’s directions in imposing penalties and setting compensation scales for Illegal mining, as well as the terms of the 2020 Sand Mining Guidelines, and to re-determine the penalty/compensation and submit a Report within eight weeks.
In its decision, the Court also agreed with the CEC’s proposal to Terminate Khatedari licenses (Sand mining leases on Agricultural property) within 5 kilometers of the Riverbed.
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