Plea challenges govt's nod to take Gujarat's sand beyond its borders
The petition states that to develop the harbour , the government authorities entered into a contract with a private company to carry out dredging work
A petition in the Gujarat High Court has challenged the government's nod to a private company to take sand that is mined in the state from dredging activity outside Gujarat.
The public interest litigation filed before a division bench headed by chief justice R Subhash Reddy pertains to the Dholai Fishery Harbour in Navsari. The court has issued a notice to the state government in the matter.
The petition states that to develop the harbour , the government authorities entered into a contract with a private company to carry out dredging work. Sea Eagle Dredging Machine Infrastructure had evinced interest in the work subject on the condition that the authorities should permit them to take the dredged sand to another state.
The agriculture and cooperative department gave its sanction to the agreement based on certain conditions one of which was that the dredged sand will not be carried outside the state.
The PIL states that the industries and mining department in an order on October 25, 2017 allowed Sea Eagles and another company (with which it had entered into an agreement) to take the sandoutside the state via sea.
This, the PILs said, violated the Gujarat Minor Mineral Concession Rules 2017 which embargo taking sand outside state limits. The petition said the state mining department instructed geologist Navsari to let the company take sand outside the state, in violation of environmental laws.