Uttarakhand High Court orders state government to stop mining

The Uttarakhand High Court has ordered the state government to stop mining. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation yesterday, the bench of Justices Rajiv Sharma and Sudhanshu Dhulia ordered constitution of a high powered committee to look into various aspects of mining activities to find out as to whether mining activity should at all be permitted in the state and chart out suggestions for next five decades. 

The bench asked the panel to submit an interim report within four months. The committee will identify places to be earmarked



for safe mining so that there would be no loss of revenue to the government and requirements of people can also meet at the same time. 

It was contended in the PIL that illegal mining activity in the area was not only causing harm to the infrastructure but also dangerous to the environment as well. The committee will assess the damage caused to the rivers, springs, rivulets and environment and ecology of Uttrakahnd by mining and determine compensation payable to the persons affected by mining activities.