National Green Tribunal
News Item Titled Sand Mafia Is Taking ... vs The State Of Goa Through Goa State ... on 7 August, 2024
Item No.6 (Pune Bench)
BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL
WESTERN ZONE BENCH, PUNE
THROUGH PHYSICAL HEARING (WITH HYBRID OPTION)
Original Application No.84/2024 (WZ)
Earlier Original Application No.276/2024 (PB)
NEWS ITEM TITLED "SAND MAFIA IS TAKING COMPLETE CONTROL
OF ILLEGAL RIVER SAND MINING" APPEARING IN O HERALD
DATED 13.02.2024
Date of hearing: 07.08.2024
CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE DINESH KUMAR SINGH, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON'BLE DR. VIJAY KULKARNI, EXPERT MEMBER
Respondents : Mr. Aniruddha Kulkarni, Advocate for R-2/CPCB
Shri Nalin Kohli, Senior Advocate along-with
Ms. Ruchira Gupta, Advocate for R-4
ORDER
1. This Original Application is being considered by us for the first time today after having been received by transfer from the Principal Bench of this Tribunal.
2. The cognizance has been taken of this matter suo moto on the basis of a news item titled "sand mafia is taking complete control of illegal river sand mining", which was published in the Newspaper O Heraldo dated 13.02.2024.
3. The Principal Bench of this Tribunal vide order dated 01.04.2024 had directed for impleadment of (i) Goa State Pollution Control Board, through its Member Secretary; (ii) Central Pollution Control Board, through its Member Secretary; (iii) Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, through Regional Officer (SZ), Goa; and (iv) Collector & Page 1 of 2 District Magistrate, South Goa as respondents in the present Original Application.
4. In compliance with the above-mentioned order, the Registry of this Tribunal has placed on record memo of parties and impleaded therein above-mentioned authorities as respondent Nos.1 to 4 in the present Original Application.
5. From the side of respondent No.2-CPCB, learned counsel Mr. Aniruddha Kulkarni has appeared.
6. From the side of respondent No.4- Collector & District Magistrate, South Goa, learned Senior Counsel Shri Nalin Kohli along-with learned counsel Ms. Ruchira Gupta have appeared before us and seek four weeks' time to file detailed reply affidavit. The said time is allowed.
7. None has appeared from the side of respondent No.1- Goa State Pollution Control Board, through its Member Secretary; and respondent No.3- Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, through Regional Officer (SZ), Goa. In the interest of justice, we grant two weeks' time to the respondent Nos.1 & 3 to file their reply affidavits, in case they want to file.
Put up this matter for further consideration on 17.10.2024 Dinesh Kumar Singh, JM Dr. Vijay Kulkarni, EM August 07, 2024 Original Application No.84/2024 (WZ) Earlier Original Application No.276/2024 (PB) P.Kr Page 2 of 2