The division judge bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court directed the District Collector, Chittoor District, to ensure that no illegal sand mining is permitted in the absence of any permission/license granted to the concerned at the Neeva River Bed.
Brief facts
The present writ petition is filed in order to direct the Official Respondent authorities to take stringent action against the Unofficial Respondent Nos. 11, 12 for illegal mining and extraction of sand on the bed of River Neeva to an extent of Ac. 120.00 cents in Survey No. 1/1 of SettiappamThangal Village, Ananthapuram Panchayat of Chittoor Mandal, Chittoor District, and transporting the same by lorries, tractors, and tippers and further direct the Official Respondents to do regular checkups when the extraction of sand is being continued in River Neeva bed by the Unofficial Respondent Nos. 11, 12 and order the Official Respondent authorities to recover the amount from the Unofficial Respondent Nos. 11, 12 who extracted the sand on the bed of River Neeva with machinery by violating WALTA Act and The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
Observations of the court
The Hon’ble court noted that the present public interest litigation was filed to draw attention to the Mines and Geology Department's and other agencies' failure to prevent dishonest people from illegal sand mining in the River Neeva in Chittoor District, especially in Settiappam Thangal Village, Ananthapuram Panchayat. Respondents Nos. 11 and 12 are said to be the ones engaged in the illegal sand mining.
The court served the notice to Respondents no. 11 and 12.
Based on this consideration, the court directed the District Collector, Chittoor District to ensure that no illegal sand mining is permitted in the absence of any permission/license granted to the concerned and that a status report be also filed with regard to the action taken.
The decision of the court
With the above direction, the court listed the matter on 13.03.2024.
Case Title: D. Swaminathan Vs The State of Andhra Pradesh
Coram: Hon’ble Mr. Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur, and Hon’ble Mr. Justice R. Raghunandan Rao
Case No.: PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION NO: 37 OF 2024
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