HC notice to mining dept, Rupnagar DC over illegal desilting
PETITIONERS SAID SIMILAR ACTIVITIES HAD BEEN THE REASON BEHIND THE 2019 FLASH FLOODS IN PUNJAB
CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday issued notice to secretary-cum-director, department of mines and geology, Punjab; district mining officer, Rupnagar block; Rupnagar deputy commissioner and environment impact assessment authority, Punjab, on a petition alleging illegal river de-siltation programme in some Punjab districts.
The high court has issued notice for July 2 on a petition filed by five agriculturists from Rupnagar district.
The petitioners had pointed out flaws in the e-auction that took place on May 30, 2019, for mining quarries in Punjab.
They said Punjab had suffered massive flash floods in July-August 2019 and the main reason was the siltation of rivers and unregulated mining (illegal) in the river beds in violation of the guidelines and policies of the Punjab government as well as the government of India.
The petitioners moved the high court seeking an investigation and a check on the illegal mining going in the villages of the petitioners as well in periphery areas of Rupnagar district.
They said that the illegal mining is endangering the lives of the villagers, agriculture and the environment.
The petitioners had sought a prohibition on the de-silting the rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi and seasonal rivulets of Ghaggar and Chakki, and mining until and unless the auction of quarries is held as per the rules.