Court Decision on Illegal Mining in Braja
BY: STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Jan 5, NEW DELHI (THE HINDU) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana and the Archaeological Survey of India on a petition seeking to curb illegal mining in the Braj region.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Y. K. Sabharwal, Justice C. K. Thakker and Justice R. V. Raveendran issued notice on a public interest petition filed by three eminent persons of the Braj area alleging that inaction on the part of the States was posing serious threat to the ecology and unbroken socio-cultural heritage of the region which was more than 5,000 years old.
The petitioners, Neelambar Baba and two others, submitted that the Braj region was spread over three States surrounding Mathura and Vrindavan and was inhabited by spotted deer, sambar and blue bull. The illegal mining going on in this region had affected the environment and posed a threat to the habitats. As a result, the 5,000-year-old heritage hills were being neglected though they were close to Keoladeo National Park on the one side and the Sariska Tiger Reserve on the other.
The petitioners pointed out that the Goverdhan Parbat region had valuable flora and fauna and this region faced serious threat due to large-scale encroachments, deforestation and destruction of sacred bodies known as `kunds' located at Giriraj Goverdhan. They sought a direction to the authorities to take steps to stop illegal mining and to take steps for preservation and protection of the environment.
