Dehradun | Feb 02, 2016: A week after the state government banned quarrying in river Ganga in Haridwar, members of miners' associations from Haridwar and Dehradun led by VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi on Tuesday met chief minister Harish Rawat seeking to resume mining activities in the region.

Official sources said that the ban on all quarrying activities in Haridwar and areas close to river Ganga came into effect a week ago. The order was issued soon after chief principal secretary Rakesh Sharma flew to Haridwar to persuade Matri Sadan chief Swami Shivanand to call off his fast. The seer had gone on an indefinite fast in January demanding total mining ban in the entire Ardh Kumbh area.

In the meeting on Tuesday, the members of quarrying associations from Haridwar and Dehradun districts told CM Rawat that total ban on mining on river bed has not only rendered over two lakh workers engaged in the trade jobless, but also raised the risk of floods with the changing of the river course due to accumulation of river bed material (RBM).

"If massive accumulation of RBM on river bed is not removed to prevent Ganga from changing its course, it is bound to cause floods in the days to come," said Sadhvi Prachi.

The members said they have begun a hunger strike in Dehradun's Shahpur area to press for lifting the quarrying ban. On the other hand, Matri Sadan chief is threatening to resume his fast unto death if the state government does not issue a fresh order to include all areas in the Ardh Kumbh zone under the ban.

"Imposing a ban on the illegal quarrying in the proximity of river Ganga is justified but on the other hand we can not afford to ignore the development aspects of the issue. Striking a balance between conservation of major waterbodies such as Ganga and its tributaries like Alaknanda and Bhagirathi and development wherein we need river bed material including sand, stones and dust for the construction of the houses and other buildings is important," said Satyendra Pawar, a member of one of the quarrying associations.

Chief minister Harish Rawat told the delegation that the government would make an appeal before the NGT to apprise it about the problems arising out of the quarrying ban and seek its advice on the issue.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)