Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of News item titled "Sand Mining: 20 arrested 40 big boats seized in Bihar Police operation on Sone river" appearing in www.downtoearth.org dated 22.12.2023 dated 05/02/2024.

The news item revealed that large scale illegal sand mining is going on in the Sone river in Patna district and also other districts of Bihar including Bhojpur, Rohtas, Aurangabad, Saran and Vaishali. The news report stated that the criminal syndicate involved in illegal sand mining has unleashed terror by attacking and killing police officials who have cracked down upon them.

The Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), February 5, 2024 said the matter raised substantial issue relating to compliance of the environmental norms and directed notice to be issued to the Bihar State Pollution Control Board through its Member Secretary; District Magistrate, Patna and Regional Office, MoEF&CC.

Reply on the basis of the advance notice has been filed by Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB), a perusal of which substantiated the news report as in that reply some action taken by BSPCB is reflected, the court noted. The next hearing of the case will be held on March 22 before the Eastern Zone Bench.