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The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has impleaded senior administrative and police officials from Delhi and Uttar Pradesh as respondents in a suo motu case concerning alleged illegal sand mining and the construction of a road across the Yamuna between Delhi and Ghaziabad.
The NGT directed the District Magistrates and senior police officials of Baghpat, Gautam Budh Nagar, Ghaziabad and Delhi to file their responses at least one day before the next hearing. The directions were issued after the green tribunal said the matter required further hearing on several aspects that had not been adequately addressed during earlier arguments. The case relates to a news report titled "How Sand Miners Laid Road Across Yamuna Between Delhi and Ghaziabad", published on November 30, 2024. The tribunal said it needed to hear the District Magistrate, Baghpat; Senior Superintendent of Police, Baghpat; District Magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar; Commissioner of Police, Gautam Budh Nagar; Commissioner of Police, Delhi; Commissioner of Police, Ghaziabad; and District Magistrate, Outer North, Delhi. These officials have now been impleaded as respondents 11 to 17. The Registry has been directed to amend the memo of parties and issue notices to them. The tribunal further said that issues relating to the formation of a Joint Task Force by the Uttar Pradesh government, quarterly meetings of the task force, uploading of complete information and minutes of its meetings, mining in inter-State areas, joint patrolling and action taken by the police authorities to prevent illegal mining required further consideration. The NGT noted that these aspects had not been referred to or sufficiently dealt with during the earlier arguments and said further hearing was necessary for their proper elucidation and consideration. The matter was earlier heard on May 8, 2026, when arguments were concluded and the order was reserved. However, after examining the material on record, the tribunal said the case required further hearing. The matter has now been listed for further hearing on September 15. The order was passed by a bench comprising Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi, Judicial Member, and Expert Members Dr A. Senthil Vel and Dr Afroz Ahmad. (ANI)
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