The Bombay High Court today directed that no sand mining and dredging activities should be allowed in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas of coastal districts of the state.
In CRZ -- area close to the seashore -- industrial activities are banned, but a PIL filed in the High Court had complained that sand mining was rampant in Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri and Raigad districts.
Court had earlier asked Chief Judicial Magistrates of respective districts to visit the sites and file reports.
Reports, submitted today, say that sand mining is going on in CRZ areas in Ratnagiri and Raigad, though in Sindhudurg such activity was not noticed.
Specially, in areas along Savitri river mining is going on, report say.
Division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice A M Khanwilkar therefore directed the concerned district superintendents of police or deputy commissioners of police to ensure that no sand mining takes place in CRZ areas.
Since reports from Navi Mumbai area is yet to come, matter has been adjourned for four weeks.