In an interim order, the tribunal has restrained “any person, company or authority” to carry out any mining activity or removal of sand, from river beds anywhere in the country without obtaining “environmental clearance from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest or State Environment Impact Assessment Authority and licence from the competent authorities.”

The tribunal gave its order while hearing a petition filed by the National Green Tribunal Bar Association. The petitioners seek a ban on rampant illegal sand mining as it threatens the ecology of river plains.

The NGT issued notices to the Centre, several agencies of Uttar Pradesh government including the district administration and the police of Gautam Budh Nagar (Noida), Geological Survey of India and Central Pollution Control Board. They were asked to respond by August 14.

Illegal sand mining fuelled by construction overdrive in big cities has become a major ecological threat, according to environmentalists. The issue has recently assumed a political connotation in the wake of Uttar Pradesh government suspending a woman IAS officer.

Large scale illegal and impermissible mining activity is seen on the banks of the Yamuna, Ganga, Chambal, Gaumti and Revati among other rivers. This removal of minerals from the river beds is causing serious threat to the flow of the river, forests upon river bank and most seriously to the environment of these areas, says the NGT order.