The Supreme Court has ordered Jaiprakash Power Ventures to deposit a fine of Rs 18 crore in the registry within 2 weeks as ordered by the NGT in the illegal sand mining case. The court announced that it is canceling its order issued on July 14, 2023, imposing a stay on the payment of the fine.
It has made it clear to the state government that the money should also be recovered from the remaining companies involved in illegal mining. It has also issued notices to the state government, including GCKC Project and Works Private Limited and Pratima Infrastructure Limited as respondents in this case.
On the other hand, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed that the decision be issued within two weeks in the cases filed challenging the notices issued by the state government in the mining irregularities case. It has ordered the state government to file an affidavit within 2 weeks stating the steps taken to curb illegal mining and recover money from those responsible for it.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and NK Singh gave orders to this effect on Wednesday and adjourned the further hearing on the matter for two weeks. The NGT Chennai bench had earlier heard the petitions filed by Nagendra Kumar of Guntur district and D. Hemanth Kumar of Chittoor district on illegal sand mining.
In March 2023, it had directed the AP government to stop the illegal mining and review the licenses of the lessees. Prakash Power Ventures was found to have carried out mining in violation of the rules and was fined Rs. 18 crore.
Although the company got a stay on this fine in the Supreme Court, the court recently quashed the order. The Supreme Court rejected Jaiprakash Power Ventures’ plea to stop it as it is not known on what basis the NGT imposed the fine.
Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the Andhra Pradesh government, said that notices have been issued to several lessees, including Jaypee, over illegal mining. They have gone to the High Court and are awaiting the verdict, the court was told.
