The district collector should take departmental action against violators and send a report to the govt, the GO added THERE should not be any deforestation or sand quarrying or mining in and around the Nilgiris district, the Madras High Court ruled on Thursday. A division bench comprising justices S J Mukhopadhaya and M Duraiswami gave the ruling while passing further interim orders on a public interest writ petition from `Elephant' G Rajendran. Heavy vehicles should be used only for construction purpose with prior permission of the competent authorities concerned, the judges said. Meanwhile, the bench was informed that departmental proceedings were being initiated against 35 officers found responsible for the illegal mining/sand quar rying there. Directing the authorities concerned to take action against all the 35 officials, the Bench said that a recent GO dated November 13, 2009, of the Industries (MMA.1) department should be implemented in its letter and spirit by the officials concerned. The GO ordered the reconstitution of the District Level Task Force (DLTF) to curtail the menace of illicit mining and quarrying. It directed all the district collectors to reconstitute the DLTF with the District Collector as its chair man. The other members should include the local SP, District Forest Officer, District Revenue Officer (DRO), Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Revenue Divisional Officers (RDOs), DSP, Assistant Directors (Panchayat and Town Panchayat), Commissioners of Municipalities, District Level Official from the TN Pollution Control Board, Deputy Director (Mines)/Assistant Director (Mines), as member secretary and the Executive Engineer (PWDWRO), as the members. The functions of the DLTF were to collect/review the information/cases/issues to the illegal mining/quarrying within their jurisdiction and monitor the Taluk Level Task Forces. The DLTF should meet once a month to discuss the illegal mining/quarrying/ transportation/damage caused to the environment and to send report to the State Level Task Force. The GO also directed the constitution of Taluk Level Task Forces (TLTFs) comprising the Tahsildar as its convenor, local inspector of police, Forest Officer (Forest Range Officer), a representative of the Department of Geology and Mining, a representative of the RTO, VAO, SI and the Assistant Engineer (PWDWRO), as its members. The TLTF should make frequent surprise checks in the mining/quarrying field and on vehicles transporting minerals to arrest illicit quarrying/mining/transportation of minerals by forming flying squads and submit its report to the DLTF. It should meet every fortnight. In the event of illegal mining, the VAO, Tahsildar, officer-in-charge of the Department of Geology and Mining at DLTF and the police officer in-charge of the area should be held responsible for not taking proper action against the offenders and the district collector should take departmental action against them and send a report to the government, the GO added.