National Green Tribunal Mandates GPS for Vehicles Transporting Minor Minerals in Haryana Districts

1. Tribunal's Directives for GPS-Equipped Vehicles:

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued directives specifying that all vehicles transporting minor minerals to stone crushers/screening plants in Faridabad, Gurugram, and Nuh districts must be equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) by February 28. The order, dated December 11, emphasises tracking the route through GPS, checkpoints, and radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags.

The NGT's decision arose during a hearing on illegal mining in the Aravalli region of Haryana. The tribunal has been addressing concerns related to unauthorised mining activities in the area.

In response to a query on vehicles carrying minor minerals with GPS in the Aravalli region, the Director of Mines and Geology had previously claimed no existence of stone crushers/screening plants. The NGT criticised the lack of information, emphasising the need for transparency.

The NGT referred to the Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020, which mandates GPS installation in all sand-carrying vehicles. This precedent played a role in the NGT's decision to extend the GPS requirement to vehicles transporting minor minerals.

The NGT expressed dissatisfaction with the Haryana State Pollution Control Board's (HSPCB) Interim Report, stating that there was no mention of initiating proceedings for environmental damage compensation related to illegal mining. The tribunal directed the HSPCB to prepare Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for this purpose within two months.

Highlighting the importance of environmental compensation, the NGT emphasised that it does not depend on criminal proceedings and directed the HSPCB to take necessary actions. The tribunal stressed the need for compensation as a deterrent against illegal mining.

To address various aspects of enforcement and monitoring to prevent illegal mining, the NGT formed a seven-member committee. The committee includes representatives from the Environment, Forest and Wildlife Department, Divisional Commissioners, IGP (Law and Order), Director of Mines and Geology, Member Secretary of HSPCB, and Chief Conservator of Forest (South), Haryana.