JUDGMENT :

Shaji P. Chaly, J.

The captioned writ appeal and the public interest writ petition are materially connected in respect of removal of a sandbar from the Thottappally Spillway region in Alappuzha district, and the segregation of the atomic mineral from the sand so removed. Therefore, with the concurrence of all parties, they were heard together and proposed to pass this common judgment. The fundamental issue raised by the appellant and the petitioners is that in the guise of removal of the sand bar for flood management and mitigation invoking the Disaster Management Act 2005, mining is being carried out without securing adequate clearances from the respective statutory authorities.

2. Writ Appeal No. 1643 of 2021 is filed by the writ petitioner challenging the judgment of the learned Single Judge dated 17.11.2021 in W. P. (C) No. 15520 of 2021 whereby the learned Single Judge dismissed the writ petition basically holding that there is no sand mining taking place at Thottappally Spillway consequent to removal of the sandbar, but the sandbar is removed invoking the powers under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 (Act 2005), in order to protect the people of Kuttanad area from fl