SHIMLA: Taking exception to the imposition of a lenient fine for illegal mining, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) said this was encouraging sand mafia in Himachal Pradesh. It asked the state chief secretary to personally look into the entire issue of compensation and to ensure compliance of law.
During a hearing held on September 20 on an application about illegal mining in Una’s Swan river, a bench, headed by NGT chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel (retd), further stated in its orders that the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board has been unable to show how "a hypothetical value of a mineral can be treated as its market value."
"Such an approach is resulting in violation of law laid down by the Supreme Court and the NGT and is also detrimental to the environment and the state revenue," stated the NGT order while disposing of the application.
