No sand mining nod in two years: UP Pollution Control Board

NOIDA: The regional office of UP Pollution Control Board in Noida has written to the union environment ministry that it has not accorded clearances to any sand mining lease in the district in the last two years. The information has been provided to the ministry, reportedly in response to a number of queries put forth to the board over issues related to sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar.

The pollution control board informed that a letter in this regard has already been issued to the ministry. As per UPPCB, sand mining leaseholders are required to procure no-objection certificates from it before embarking upon any excavation work on river beds.

"The board has not received any application in the last two years seeking clearance for sand mining in the district. The union ministry has been duly informed about this matter," said Atulesh Yadav, regional head of UPPCB. The UPPCB said that while it did not receive any application seeking NOC in 2012-13, no such applications have been received this fiscal.
The forest department of Gautam Budh Nagar also informed it has not accorded clearances for sand-mining in one year.

"Mining is not permitted without clearances from the forest department. The department has not received any application asking it to verify that the lease area does not overlap forest areas," said Ashok Kumar, DFO (in-charge), Gautam Budh Nagar.