Illegal sand mining in Bichkunda mandal, Kamareddy: HC issues notice to govt

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court’s division bench, comprising CJ Alok Aradhe and Justice J Sreenivas Rao, on Monday issued notices to the Principal Secretaries, Mines and Geology, Revenue, Home and Transport departments, MD, TS Mineral Development Corporation, Kamareddy district collector and TSMDC, Kamareddy SP, assistant director (mines), Kamareddy and Bichkonda tahsildar, directing them to respond within four weeks.

The bench was adjudicating the taken up PIL by converting the letter of A Prakash, president, bar association, Bichukunda, who wrote a letter to the CJ of the HC on illegal sand mining in the mandal.

The petitioner highlighted the illegal sand mining in Bichkunda, more specifically in the Khadgam-Shetler suburbs, which are rampant as the police, RTO, Revenue, TSMDC and the mining officials are hand in glove with the sand-mining mafia, which is resulting in Rs 20-30 lakh revenue loss a day to the exchequer. He sought a direction to the State government to install CCTV cameras at strategic locations to prevent further mining and ensure that sand mining is done legally duly abiding to the environmental regulations. The petitioner informed the court that people living in the vicinity of the mandal are in grip of fear because most illegal mining is done during night; the frequency of lorries, which carry sand is high due to which their lives are at risk.

The private security deployed to oversee the illegal mining has attacked security forces, which tried to intercept them from resorting to illegalities.

Illegal granite mining in Asifnagar, Baopet, Kothapally mandal, Karimnagar dist: Court issues notices to govt

On Monday, the HC division bench issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretaries, Mines, Industries and Commerce departments, Environment and Forest member-secretary TS Pollution Control Board, Karimnagar collector, assistant director (mines), Karimnagar and Kothapally tahsildar, to respond within four weeks. The court was adjudicating the taken Up PIL by converting the letter dated July 3 addressed by D Arun Kumar from Karimnagar. The petitioner told the court that there is rampant illegal granite mining in Asifnagar, Baopet, Kothapally mandal, Karimnagar district due to which the environment in areas surrounding the granite quarries and lives of people living in the vicinity of the quarries have worsened.

Due to high pollution emanating from the quarries, there is an irreparable loss to the flora and fauna; people living in the vicinity of the quarries have lost their livelihood. Heavy blasting in granite mining has deprived more than 10 villages, comprising 35,000-40,000 lives, their peaceful living and livelihood.

Hearing adjourned in both cases by four weeks for filing counter-affidavits.