The National Green Tribunal has directed the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority and the Ghaziabad district magistrate to examine whether the environmental clearance granted to a company mining sand on the Yamuna riverbed near Loni should be cancelled, following repeated allegations of violation of mining norms.
NGT Order Details
A three-member bench comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, A. Senthil Vel, and Afroz Ahmad, in an order dated May 18, stated that the authorities must take a decision after considering 23 incidents of illegal mining. The matter was brought to the NGT by Bittu, a resident of Pachyara village, who alleged that New Panther Security Guard Services was mining sand beyond the leased area.
Bittu said, "I had filed the complaint in 2023, seeking cancellation of the company's environmental clearance because of mining violations. Apart from overmining, they have also used mechanised and semi-mechanised machinery in riverbed mining. I had also submitted video and photographic evidence to support."
Administrative Actions
An official from the Ghaziabad administration stated that fines of Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh had been imposed on the violators. The company appealed against the action in the Supreme Court, but it was referred back to the NGT. The official added, "We will shortly file a report before the tribunal on whether to withdraw environmental clearance. In Panchayara, which has a 12-hectare riverbank area, 8 hectares have been legally allocated for mining for a five-year term to the lessee."
Suo Motu Cognisance
The NGT also took suo motu cognisance of an article published in The Times of India on November 30, 2024, titled "How sand miners laid road across Yamuna between Delhi and Ghaziabad." On November 20, 2025, the tribunal formed a joint committee comprising representatives of the Central Pollution Control Board, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Commission for Air Quality Management. The committee was tasked with probing the claims.
Committee Findings
In its December 19 report, the committee made several incriminating observations regarding the state of illegal sand mining, particularly in Ghaziabad's Navraspur area in Loni. The NGT directed the authorities to investigate the allegations and take appropriate action after hearing both the applicant and the company.
