Andhra Pradesh High Court: The Division Bench of Dhiraj Singh Thakur CJ. and R. Raghunandan Rao, J., directed Respondent 7, the District Collector, Chittoor District, to ensure that no illegal sand mining was permitted in the absence of any permission/license granted to Respondent 11 and 12, and a status report was also to be filed with regard to the action taken.
In a present case, the public interest litigation was filed highlighting the inaction of the Mines and Geology Department and also, the other agencies to check the illegal sand mining being conducted by unscrupulous elements in River Neeva in Chittoor District and particularly in Settiappam Thangal Village, Ananthapuram Panchayat. The illegal sand mining was stated to be conducted by Respondent 11 and 12. The petitioner prayed that the official respondent authorities to be directed to take stringent action against Respondent 11 and 12 for illegal mining and extraction of sand on the bed of River Neeva and transporting the same by lorries, tractors and tippers.
Further, the petitioner also prayed that the official respondents to be directed to do regular checkups when the extraction of sand was being continued in River Neeva bed by Respondents 11 and 12 and also order the official respondent authorities to recover the amount from Respondents 11 and 12 who extracted the sand on the bed of River Neeva with machinery by violating government orders dated 15-01-2016 and 04-09-2019, Andhra Pradesh Water, Land and Trees Act, 2002 and The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
The Court directed District Collector, Chittoor District, to ensure that no illegal sand mining was permitted in the absence of any permission/license granted to Respondent 11 and 12, and a status report was also to be filed about the action taken.
The matter would next be listed on 13-03-2024.
[D. Swaminathan v. State of Andhra Pradesh, 2024 SCC OnLine AP 388, Order dated 14-02-2024]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For the Petitioner: Srinivasa Rao Narra, Advocate;
