The Gauhati High Court has directed that the officials concerned of the Central Government, in collaboration with the responsible officers of the Assam Government, to ensure that illegal mining activities shall not be allowed unless the conditions mentioned by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on November 17, 2020 to the deputy conservator of forests, Assam are met.
Gauhati High Court Bans Illegal Mining
The Court has directed the government to take immediate steps to ensure that all illegal mining activities in the Saleki Proposed Reserved Forest under Digboi Forest Division are stopped.
Hearing a petition filed by Mrinmoy Khataniar and Amar Jyoti Deka, the bench of Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Suman Shyam stated, “Undisputedly it is the obligation of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in collaboration with the State Government to ensure that illegal mining activities are not carried out within the state of Assam which is home to the pristine forests which are virtually the lungs of the earth.”
It needs to be mentioned Petitioner advocate DK Das had submitted before the Court that as the Central Government itself has observed that the Coal India Limited is continuing the mining operation even after expiry of the original lease period.
