Disposed

News Item Titled "Sand Smuggling Rampant in Odisha,S Cuttack as Officials Turn Blind to the Menace Appearing in the Indian Express Dated 26.04.2025" vs

NGT7 May 2025Original Application No. 224/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The National Green Tribunal registered this application suo motu based on a news item alleging rampant sand smuggling and river obstruction in Odisha. The matter was transferred to the Eastern Zonal Bench, Kolkata, for further action with respondents issued notice.

What did the court decide?

Notice issued to respondents and Original Application transferred to Eastern Zonal Bench, Kolkata.

News Item Titled "Sand Smuggling Rampant in Odisha,S… — Environment and Pollution | NGT (2025)

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Item No. 05

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Court No. 1

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BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI

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Original Application No. 224/2025

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News Item titled "Sand smuggling rampant in Odisha’s Cuttack as officials turn blind to the menace” appearing in The Indian Express dated 26.04.2025"

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Date of hearing: 07.05.2025

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CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON HON’BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER HON’BLE DR. AFROZ AHMAD, EXPERT MEMBER

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ORDER

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This original application is registered suo motu on the basis of the news item titled "Sand smuggling rampant in Odisha’s Cuttack as officials turn blind to the menace” appearing in The Indian Express dated 26.04.2025.

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The news item relates to the widespread illegal sand mining in Odisha’s Cuttack District. The news item states that sand mafias have constructed an embankment to block the Devi river’s flow and have built a 1.5 kilometers road from Nati Balighat under Niali tehsil to facilitate

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unauthorized sand transportation. The news article mentions that these activities went unnoticed by Steel and Mines Department for nearly two weeks until locals reported them.

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The above matter indicates violation of the Sustainable Sand Mining Management Guidelines, 2016, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

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The news item raises substantial issue relating to compliance of the environmental norms.

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Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter suo-motu has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897 .

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Hence, we implead the following as respondents in the matter:

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(1). Member Secretary, Odisha State Pollution Control Board, Paribesh Bhawan, A/118, Nilakantha Nagar, Unit-VIII, Bhubaneswar – 751012, Odisha.

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(2). Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board, Parivesh Bhawan, East Arjun Nagar, Delhi – 110032.

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(3). Integrated Regional Office, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhubaneswar, A/3, Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneswar751023, Odisha.

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(4). District Magistrate (Collector), Cuttack, Office of the Collector and District Magistrate, Collectorate, Cuttack – 753002, Odisha.

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Issue notice to the above respondents for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the Eastern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal at least one week before the next date of hearing. If any respondent directly files the reply without routing it through his advocate, then the said respondent will remain virtually present to assist the Tribunal.

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Since the area falls within the jurisdiction of Eastern Zonal Bench of the Tribunal, therefore, the OA is transferred to the Eastern Zonal

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Bench, Kolkata for appropriate further action. Let the original record of the OA be transferred to Eastern Zonal Bench, Kolkata.

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List before Eastern Zonal Bench at Kolkata on 17.07.2025.

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Prakash Shrivastava, CP

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Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM

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Dr. Afroz Ahmad, EM

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May 07, 2025 Original Application No. 224/2025 dv..

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News Item Titled "Sand Smuggling Rampant in Odisha,S Cuttack as Officials Turn Blind to the Menace Appearing in the Indian Express Dated 26.04.2025" vs

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

News Item Titled "Sand Smuggling Rampant in Odisha,S Cuttack as Officials Turn Blind to the Menace Appearing in the Indian Express Dated 26.04.2025" vs

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

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