The Supreme Court of India has ordered the formation of a high-level committee to investigate allegations of illegal mining and encroachment by Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) in Andhra Pradesh. The directive comes in response to a petition filed by the Government of Andhra Pradesh, challenging earlier findings and seeking greater clarity on the extent of unauthorized activities within leased and reserved forest areas.
The Committee, chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia, includes representatives from the Central Empowered Committee, the State’s Departments of Industries and Environment, and a nominee from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, among others. The Supreme Court has given the committee a mandate to fix boundaries, assess encroachment, and ascertain the full extent of illegal mining, with a report expected within three months.
The Court’s order follows strong opposition from OMC, which argued the State Government was attempting to widen the probe beyond previously agreed terms. However, the bench led by the Chief Justice sided with the State, emphasizing the need for a fair, multi-stakeholder inquiry.
The matter will be listed again after three months to review the committee’s findings, marking a crucial step in the ongoing legal battle over mining regulation and forest conservation in the region.
Appearances:Â
Petitioners: Mr. Sidharth Luthra, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Guntur Pramod Kumar, AOR; Mr. Gautam Bhatia, Adv.; Mr. Karl P Rustomkhan, Adv.; Ms. Vanshika Singh, Adv.
Mr. Gaurav Agrawal, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Vishnu Mohan, Adv.; Mr. Nakul Patwardhan, Adv.; Mr. Ravi Raghunath, AOR
Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Ranjit Kumar, Sr. Adv.; Mr. P.b. Suresh, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Mayank Jain, Adv.; Mr. Madhur Jain, Adv.; Ms. Aakriti Dhawan, Adv.; Mr. Arpit Goel, Adv.; Mr. Deepak Jain, Adv.; Mr. Parmatma Singh, AOR
Mr. Pukhrambam Ramesh Kumar, AOR; M/S. Lawyer S Knit & Co, AOR; Mr. Merusagar Samantaray, AOR
Dr. Sumant Bharadwaj, Adv.; Mr. Vedant Bharadwaj, Adv.; Ms. Mridula Ray Bharadwaj, AOR; Mrs. Amrita Behra, Adv.; Mrs. Tanuja Jha, Adv.; Mrs. Pooja Gupta, Adv.
Mr. Shubhranshu Padhi, AOR
Respondents: Mr. Mukul Rohatgi, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Ranjit Kumar, Sr. Adv.; Mr. P.b. Suresh, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Mayank Jain, Adv.; Mr. Madhur Jain, Adv.; Ms. Aakriti Dhawan, Adv.; Mr. Arpit Goel, Adv.; Mr. Deepak Jain, Adv.; Mr. Parmatma Singh, AOR
Mr. Basava Prabhu Patil, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Pukhrambam Ramesh Kumar, AOR; Mr. Arijeet Shukla, Adv.; Mr. Samarth Kashyap, Adv.; Mr. Karun Sharma, Adv.; Ms. Anupama Ngangom, Adv.; Ms. Rajkumari Divyasana, Adv.
Mr. Gaurav Agrawal, Sr. Adv.; Mr. Vishnu Mohan, Adv.; Mr. Nakul Patwardhan, Adv.; Mr. Namanjeet Singh Bhatia, Adv.; Mr. Ravi Raghunath, AOR;
Mr. Gaurav Agrawal,Sr.Adv.; Mr. Ravi Raghunath,Adv.; Mr. Namanjeet S. Bhatia,Adv.
Mr. Sunil Kumar Jain, AOR
Ms. Bharti Tyagi, AOR
Mr. G.v.r Choudary, Adv.; Mr. Sanjay Jha, Adv.; Ms. Kirti Goyel, Adv.; Mr. Sewa Singh Sahu, Adv.; Mr. K. Shivraj Choudhuri, AOR
M/S. Lawyer S Knit & Co, AOR; Mr. Rakesh K. Sharma, AOR
Ms. Prerna Singh, Adv.; Mr. Guntur Pramod Kumar, AOR; Mr. Dhruv Yadav, Adv.
Mr. K. M. Nataraj, A.S.G.; Mr. Gurmeet Singh Makker, AOR; Ms. Sonia Mathur, Adv.; Mr. Sharath Nambiar, Adv.; Ms. V Mohana, Adv.; Ms. Saudamini Sharma, Adv.; Mr. Pratyush Shrivastava, Adv.; Ms. Ranjana Narayan, Adv.; Mr. Shailesh Madiyal, Adv.; Mr. Rohan Gupta, Adv.
Mr. K M Natraj, A.S.G.; Mrs. Sonia Mathur, Sr.Adv.; Mr. Arvind Kumar Sharma, AOR; Mrs. V Mohana, Adv.; Mr. Shailesh Madial, Adv.; Mr. Sharath Nambiar, Adv.; Mr. Rajesh Ranjan, Adv.; Mr. B.k. Satija, Adv.; Mr. Mukesh Kumar Maroria, Adv.
Mr. K. M. Nataraj, A.S.G.; Ms. Sonia Mathur, Sr. Adv.; V. Mohna, Sr. Adv., Adv.; Mr. Shailesh Madiyal, Adv.; Mr. Sharath Nambier, Adv.; Saudamini Sharma, Adv.; Mr. Pratyush Shrivastava, Adv.; Dr. N. Visakamurthy, AOR;
Mr. Nishant Patil, A.A.G.; Mr. D. L. Chidananda, AOR
Mr. T. V. S. Raghavendra Sreyas, AOR; Mr. Siddharth Vasudev, Adv.; Ms. Gayatri Gulati, Adv.; Mr. Brahma Prakash Soni, Adv.
Mr. Mukesh Kumar Maroria, AOR; Mr. Prashant Bhushan, AOR
Mr. Ankur S. Kulkarni, Adv.; Mr. Nirnimesh Dube, Adv.; Ms. Priya S. Bhalerao, Adv.; Mr. Debdeep Banerjee, Adv.; M/S. Lex Regis Law Offices, AOR