Permission of minerals dept. not needed to remove sand:HC

Kochi, Mar 9 (UNI) The Kerala High court today held that the permission of the minor minerals department was not required for the removal of ordinary sand.

A Division Bench comprising Justice M Ramachandran and Justice P R Raman observed that there may not be any justification for intercepting tipper lorries merely on suspicion that they may be carrying minor minerals after illicit quarrying.

The Bencht said that the fine amount collected from tipper lorries unauthorisedly should be refunded on request.

The Bench was disposing of three writ petitions filed by contractor V V Elias of Mulanthuruty and others complaining of police harassment for removing soil in tipper lorries.

It was submitted that though the Collector had ordered the release of the vehicles, a fine of Rs 5000 was imposed on each vehicle as penalty for unauthorised filling up of paddy fields with sand.

It was also submitted that interception of the vehicles carrying ordinary soil on a regular basis amounted to harassment.

UNI XR ARC VV SSI2005