Daily Court Digest: Major environment orders (December 9, 2022)

Furnish details of unorganised workers: SC

The Supreme Court has directed the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment to furnish updated, state-wise particulars of unorganised and migrant workers.

“One of the objectives is to see that all benevolent schemes announced by the Union of India and/or the concerned states, the benefits of which should reach such unorganised workers,” the court noted December 6, 2022.

The court, via its previous directions, had asked the states and Union Territories to submit the registered with the ‘eShram portal’. The Union then filed an affidavit in response to this. It showed that many states are yet to submit the details.

The apex court, in July 2021, had directed these states to cooperate with the Centre and ensure that unorganised labourers and workers in different sectors are registered with the eShram portal.

Sand mining near Betwa

Excessive sand mining in the stretch of Betwa river in Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur district has come under the scanner of the Central Pollution Control Board.

The “exceedance is even up to 12.9 times higher than the permitted daily limit,” stated CPCB in its report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

Such unchecked excavations are detrimental to the environment. The excavations also indicate the possibility of the use of heavy machinery, the CPCB report added.

The report also enclosed satellite images, distinctly showing the difference between allotted and sanctioned areas. 

Some of the findings are the following:

• Around 77 illegal excavated pits are visible in the stretch of river Betwa.
• Some 28 commercial good-transport vehicles are also seen in and around these pits. Excavator machines, trucks and tippers were also seen on the nearby roads.
• Most illegal pits are located around the mining sites of two companies — Kanha construction company and Shrikant Gupta.

The digital satellite images indicate the extent of illegal mining. “However, these need to be further verified through the concerned agencies and need to develop a mechanism to control these activities,” the report said.

Illegal mining in Mohangarh forest

The NGT has directed the director of the Mining and Geology Directorate, Madhya Pradesh; and the district magistrate of Shivpuri to submit an action plan to arrest illegal stone mining in Mohangarh forest.

The plan should specify the timeline of implementation and budgetary provisions to reclaim the land and an action taken report on the same should be submitted within three months, the tribunal added.