Prosecute Mla In Sand Mining Case

Prosecute MLA in sand mining case, says court Four years after environmentalist Sumaira Abdulali was attacked for opposing illegal sand-mining, Alibaug MLA Madhukar Thakur has been made prime accused in the case By Manoj R Nair

Posted On Tuesday, January 20, 2009 at 02:50:02 AM

Nearly four and half years after environment activist Sumaira Abdulali was attacked by illegal sand miners at Kihim beach near Alibaug, a magistrate has okayed the prosecution of local MLA Madhukar Thakur under the Environment Protection Act. On May 28, 2004, Abdulali was in Kihim when she was alerted by locals that sand was being mined at the beach. She called the police and went to the beach where trucks were taking away loads of sand. As she waited in her car, she was dragged out and beaten up. She recognised Umesh, the MLA’s son among the assailants. When Abdulali registered a complaint at the Alibaug police station, the police said that the accused were untraceable. Later, when a charge sheet was filed in court, the charges under the EP Act which were included in the FIR, were mysteriously dropped. Abdulali filed another application in April 2007 for the re-introduction of the EPA charges. On January 6, chief judicial magistrate of Sumaira Abdulali Alibaug, D D Kamble passed an order to initiate legal proceedings against the MLA and four accused. Thakur was unavailable for a comment, but his personal assistant said, “We have heard about the court order, but have not received a copy. As far as we know, only Umesh’s name is included in the charge sheet.” Lawyer Sadhana Mahashabde who is representing Abdulali said: “Thakur’s name did not figure in the police complaint. After the private complaint from Abdulali, the court has made Thakur the prime accused under the EPA case.” The next hearing is on January 27. Abdulali said this was one of the few instances where the EP Act has been invoked, and perhaps the only one for illegal sand mining. “Illegal sand mining is rampant along the coastline,” said Abdulali, adding that most of the sand business is controlled by politicians. “It is not surprising that when complaints of sand mining were made earlier, no action was taken. I do hope that now, with this latest order from the court, sand mining on beaches and other CRZ regions will stop.”