A Feb 27, 2012, order of the Supreme Court had directed states to grant leases for mining of minor minerals, including their renewal, even in a less than five hectares area only after getting environmental clearances from the ministry of environment and forest, said activist Akash Vashishtha.
"While almost all the terms and conditions of mining leases have been flouted by the miners, the mining is carried out blatantly in some of the most ecologically sensitive zones of the rivers in utter violation of the court orders and environment impact assessment norms," he said.
