The National Green Tribunal has asked Delhi Government to stop unauthorised sand mining on the Yamuna riverbed. The tribunal came down heavily on the Delhi government for permitting sand mining in the name of dredging and directed the concerned authorities to stop illegal mining on the Yamuna river bed and its surrounding areas. <br/><br/>A bench headed by NGT chairperson, Justice Swantanter Kumar said no illegal and unauthorised mining would be permitted anywhere on the river bank of Yamuna and its surrounding areas without proper compliance, proper permissions and particular environmental clearance in terms of the judgment of the Supreme Court and judgement of the Tribunal. <br/><br/>Noting that 80 per cent of the material dredged by contractors in Yamuna was sand and cannot be termed as 'de-silting activity', the green panel constituted a committee consisting of a senior officer from the Mining Department, concerned municipal Corporation, DPCC, MoEF and Delhi Jal Board. The bench said that the committee would consider the analysis report of dredged material and the entire contract and submit their recommendations to the Delhi government which will then pass appropriate orders. Dredging is the removal of sediments and debris from the bottom of rivers and other water bodies.<br/><br/>In another decision, the tribunal announced fine of 20,000 Rupees as Environmental Compensation for throwing waste in the Hindon Canal. It directed the Commissioners of East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam and Ghaziabad Development Authority to ensure that the entire municipal solid waste and debris is cleared by the respective authorities within two days from today.