Illegal beach sand mining in T.N.: Madras HC orders CBI probe to unearth ‘political nexus’
The Hindu
The Madras High Court on Monday (February 17, 2025) ordered a CBI probe to find out if there was a nexus between politicians, government officials, and private beach sand miners in the massive quantity of illegal mining.
The Madras High Court on Monday (February 17, 2025) ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe to find out if there was a nexus between politicians, government officials, and private beach sand miners in the massive illegal mining that had taken place in the State for years.
A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and M. Jothiraman directed the CBI to get to the bottom of the matter and report illegalities, if any, to the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Income Tax authorities, as well as Customs officials for initiating appropriate action.
The orders were passed while disposing of a batch of writ petitions that had been pending in the court since 2011. The judges held as valid the reports of IAS officers Gangandeep Singh Bedi and Satyabrata Sahoo, as well as that of amicus curiae V. Suresh, who had confirmed the illegal mining.
The judges directed the Tamil Nadu government to go ahead with the steps that it had already taken to recover ₹5,842 crore from illegal miners towards royalty dues and penalty for the illegal mining of precious minerals such as garnet, ilmenite, rutile, zircon, and so on.
Insofar as the raw sand and semi-processed sand that still remain stored in the godowns of private miners at Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari districts were concerned, the court ordered it to be handed over to the Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), a Central government undertaking.
The Bench also recorded the State government’s submission that 16.04 lakh tonnes of valuable beach sand minerals (BSM) had been transported illegally by private miners in the State between 2018 and 2022, though there has been a ban on transportation of the minerals since 2013.
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO in Paris, Vishal V. Sharma visits INCOIS, backs idea of developing a dedicated space satellite for ocean observation for the region.
Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad launched an energy conservation rally at RK Beach, promoting awareness and renewable energy benefits.
Hikaru Nakamura intensifies his preparations for the Candidates tournament, prioritizing training over streaming to secure a challenger spot.
INSWAREB collaborates with BARC and NPCIL to develop innovative radiation-proof concrete for enhanced durability in nuclear structures.
Karnataka High Court sentences former IIA employee to four months in prison for contempt of court in two cases.
Atchannaidu criticizes YSRCP's signature drive as a political gimmick, urging recognition of genuine efforts for healthcare reform in Andhra Pradesh.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) ward delimitation draws cross-party objections with legislators making a beeline to the civic body's office on Monday.
Alliance Francaise de Bangalore has a slew of events lined up to celebrate turning 55
Government introduces the VBSA Bill for higher education reform, facing opposition claims of federalism attack and executive overreach.
Over 8,000 participants joined the inaugural Chennai Navy Half Marathon, featuring 21.1-km, 10-km, and 5-km races.
The SARAS DWCRA exhibition in Visakhapatnam promotes women's economic prosperity with 250 stalls and cultural programs for self-help groups.
Bronze statues of poets and freedom fighter unveiled in Kadiyam, highlighting the importance of preserving the Telugu language.
The SHANTI Bill encourages private sector investment in nuclear energy while limiting operator liability and reforming regulatory frameworks.