Nizamabad mining official asked to appear before HC in illegal mining case

Hyderabad: A Telangana High Court Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice C.V. Bhaskar Reddy on Monday heard the public interest litigation filed by social activist K. Kondal Rao seeking a direction to the state government to initiate stringent action against all those persons who are directly or indirectly involved in illegal mining in the Mamidipally Chinnapur forest area of Nizamabad district.

The Chief Justice Bench directed the assistant director (mining and geology), Nizamabad district, to appear before it in person on 20 October for not restraining persons from carrying out illegal mining which is rampant in the Mamidipally Chinnapur forest area of Nizamabad district. This led to the extinction of limited natural resources in the forest area and is damaging the rich flora and fauna.

Special GP Andapally Sanjeev Kumar informed the court that the assistant director (mining and geology), Nizamabad is the competent authority and is responsible for ensuring that no illegal mining takes place in the Mamidipally Chinnapur forest area.

Though the AD is not a party to the PIL, he was contacted several times and asked to ensure that no illegal mining takes place and informed that this issue is under adjudication before the High Court. But the official has not heeded to the instructions, the special GP informed the Bench.

The Chief Justice Bench, after taking note of the contentions put forth by the special GP, directed the registry to inform the assistant director (mines and geology), Nizamabad district to appear before the court in person on 20 October.