Gujarat court summons official over illegal mining
By IANSTuesday, December 21, 2010
GANDHINAGAR - The Gujarat High Court Tuesday ordered a top official of the state’s mines and minerals department to appear before it to explain inaction against illegal mining.
The bench of Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice K.M. Thaker, while hearing a petition on illegal mining near the Sasangir Lion Sanctuary, questioned the government and asked the principal secretary of the department to appear before it.
The court had earlier proposed stringent action against officials guilty of inaction.
Government counsel submitted an affidavit on behalf of the principal secretary stating that the government had formed a task force which was monitoring illegal mining.
The court was not satisfied and summoned the principal secretary. The next hearing in the case has been fixed for Jan 17, 2011.
The court has also sought details of the government’s proposed action on ecological imbalance caused due to illegal mining.
Right to Information activist Amit Jethwa filed the public interest litigation on illegal mining. He was later shot dead near the high court.
