NAINITAL | March 29, 2017: Ordering a "complete ban" on all mining activities in the state for four months, the Uttarakhand high court on Tuesday directed the state government to constitute a high-powered committee to look into various aspects of mining activities and find out whether mining activity should be permitted in the state at all. The panel will also prepare a 50-year blueprint taking into consideration environment limits visa-vis mining operations.

Hearing a PIL on illegal mining in Bageshwar district, the HC bench stated: "The high-powered panel is directed to submit an interim report within four months on whether the ongoing mining operations can be permitted or are required to be stopped. Till then, there shall be a complete ban on mining activities, including in forest areas, rivers, rivulets and streams."

The order, by a bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Sudhanshu Dhulia, came days after a forest official was mowed down allegedly by goons of mining mafia, sending shock wave in the state.

The bench said, "The Shivalik region of the Himalayas is further getting fragile by mining activities. Mining activities are required to be regulated by the state to ensure that no illegal mining is carried out. It is also arbitrary on the part of the state to permit mining in the fragile areas. The mining activities are required to be carried out as per law. The state government is directed not to grant any fresh licence/mining lease/reconnaissance or prospecting licence, in any form till the final report is furnished by the high powered committee to this court."

Observing that "man himself is responsible for producing conditions that cause natural hazards to happen through his mindless deeds", the court further directed the government to "take every possible measure, including the registration of first information report against the persons who are involved in illegal mining."

The bench also directed the government to be "kept in abeyance" the lease granted in favour of private respondents till the above reports are submitted. The petitioner, Navin Chandra Pant, claimed that the mining have caused threat to schools and residential houses and was being carried out within the radius of 20-metre from the residential houses.

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