Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding clearing of land for diamond mining, Bundelkhand, district Chhattarpur, Madhya Pradesh, 30/05/2022
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of Seema Chauhan Vs State of Madhya Pradesh dated 30/05/2022.
Grievance in the application is that 382 hectares of land is being removed for diamond mining in Bundelkhand, district Chhattarpur, Madhya Pradesh, as against the requirement of 65 hectares land.
The report by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board, May 15, 2022 annexed the report of the forest department addressed to the Collector, Chhattarpur. It is stated that there is a proposal for the project in question which may involve cutting of 37,334 trees for which a proposal has been sent to MoEF&CC. Annexure to the said letter further shows that a letter of intent for mining lease on 364 hectare area has been issued, December 19, 2019 by the Mineral Department of Madhya Pradesh and 10 percent upfront payment amounting to Rs. 27.5 crores has been taken.
The bench of Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, Sudhir Agarwal and Arun Kumar Tyagi said that from the report filed, "there is nothing to show that Environmental Clearance has been granted without which the mining cannot be allowed. Only a proposal for Forest Clearance is said to have been submitted." The court directed that no mining be allowed in absence of requisite EC nor any tree be allowed to be cut without requisite forest clearance. This has to be ensured by the District Magistrate, Chhattarpur, Madhya Pradesh and the State PCB.