Supreme Court gives AP government ‘green’ relief\'

VIJAYAWADA: In a relief to the AP government, the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Rs 100-crore fine imposed by the National Green Tribunal for illegal sand mining in the state. The apex court said the NGT should dispose of the case within three months and hear the state government’s defence.

The AP government had argued that the tribunal had not considered its submissions. The Supreme Court after hearing the government directed it to approach the National Green Tribunal again.

Last month, the tribunal had slapped the interim penalty of Rs 100 crore on the AP government for its inaction in preventing illegal sand mining in the state. A bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel directed the AP Chief Secretary to forthwith prohibit all unregulated sand mining.

The NGT said it was the duty of the government to provide complete protection to natural resources as a trustee of the public.