Imphal: Manipur High Court has ordered to prohibit illegal excavation of hill earth in both Reserved Forest and Unclassed Forest.
“Any violators will be booked under relevant Rules, Acts,” the high court said in an order issued on Friday.
It said, it is observed that in many instances, under the cover of recent floods in the states, many individuals and contractors have been carrying out huge hill earth excavation and dumping in the private land for commercial purposes.
Unsustainable extraction of minor minerals like stone, sand and earth has a negative Impact on the environment and leads to soil erosion, deforestation, slope instability, contamination of flood streams, increased torrent flow in river and streams, eroding the river banks, flooding etc. it added.
Minerals including stone are defined as forest produce under Section 2(4)(iv) of the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and Manipur Forest Rules, 2021 and therefore removal and transportation of stone without permit and transit pass on payment of royalty and other charges violets the provisions of the Indian Forest Act. 1927 and Manipur Forest Rules, 2021.
The High Court of Manipur in its Order on July25, 2018 in PIL No. 25 of 2017 has directed that all forms of unregulated or illegal excavation of minor minerals is completely prohibited and banned irrespective of the location in the state.
The court in its order on July 2, 2017 in PIL No.5 of 2019 has imposed total ban in respect of unauthorized stone quarrying, sand mining, river pollution etc. in all rivers in the state except in case where a license or lease is granted in accordance with law.
The court has also directed specifically DFOs to take preventive measures in this regard.
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