DEHRADUN | Apr 16, 2015: In a move seen as a big boost to those fighting against illegal mining, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday directed the Uttarakhand government as well as the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) to stop illegal mining in Haridwar district from immediate effect. The NGT bench, headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar, took the decision on a plea filed by an NGO, Social Action for Forest and Environment (SAFE).

Talking to TOI, Vikrant Kumar Tongad, president of SAFE said, "The NGT order is welcome news. Illegal mining is rampant in villages like Bishanpur, Goghpur, Sajjanpur Pilli, and Kandabhagamal because of which the Ganga is being adversely affected. Hopefully, the order can put a curb to these activities."

On March 23, an MoEF team had visited several sites where illegal mining was allegedly being carried out. The team, in its report said that "large scale illegal mining of minor minerals was noticed along the river bed of the Ganga in sites like Bishanpur and its adjoining areas. Hundreds of tractors were found engaged in the transport of minor minerals like sand, bajri and boulders. In many places, mining was being carried out close to the spurs which were constructed to avoid flooding."

The report added that to the team's surprise, they could not spot "any government official in any of the areas where illegal mining was being carried out."

According to Tongad, the MoEF team had on March 27 submitted its recommendations to stop all illegal mining in the area since it was "severely impacting biological diversity and the wild animals corridor."

Meanwhile, Matri Sadan chief Swami Shivanand, who has been on a fast against illegal mining for almost a fortnight now, told TOI that he had heard about the NGT order but refrained from commenting further. "I have not yet seen a copy of the order, so it will not be possible for me to say anything on it," he said.

District magistrate, Haridwar, Harish Chandra Semwal, in the meantime, has directed officials of revenue, forest and mining departments to inspect the mining slots in the district and submit their reports to him. He said that divisional forest officers have also been asked to take stringent action against those indulging in illegal mining in the reserve forest area.

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