A joint committee of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to check alleged illegal mining changing the flow of Yamuna in Belgarh village of Chhachhrauli block in Yamunanagar has prepared a contradictory report to be submitted to the green court.
The joint team of 14 members, including officials of pollution control board, state-level environment impact assessment authority (SEIAA), mining and revenue departments of Saharanpur and Yamunanagar districts, said during inspection, no illegal mining was observed at the UP-Haryana border and adjacent area of Belgarh village.
“As per site observations, machinery of Star Mines (Saharanpur) was operating substantially away from the border area and within the jurisdiction of UP. No footprints of mining vehicles were observed approaching the border area near Bailgarh. On question raised by complainant Jahangir regarding diversion of flow of Yamuna, no such footprints were observed in the area of dispute,” the committee stated in its report.
The inspection was carried out on May 12, when complainant Jahangir also accompanied the team.
Following directions of the NGT in a virtual hearing on October 27 last year, a 10-member joint team visited the site on January 10, but due to the high water table and no clear demarcation, it was decided that the revenue and mining officials will first visit the village to provide clarity. Later, on April 2, officials of both the states visited the site and submitted their individual reports.
{{/usCountry}}Following directions of the NGT in a virtual hearing on October 27 last year, a 10-member joint team visited the site on January 10, but due to the high water table and no clear demarcation, it was decided that the revenue and mining officials will first visit the village to provide clarity. Later, on April 2, officials of both the states visited the site and submitted their individual reports.
{{/usCountry}}Uttar Pradesh denied any illegal mining being carried out in the said village and while submitting the GPS coordinates of the pillars of mines, it said a mining lease of 36 hectare has been granted in 2019 for five years to Star Mines of Saharanpur.
However, Haryana, in its individual reply, submitted that the area of dispute falls on boundary of both the states and from here, Yamuna enters into Haryana.
It observed that the “flow of Yamuna has changed due to illegal mining but due to flow of river, the quantum of mining could not be ascertained”.
The green court was hearing on a plea filed by Jahangir against “unscientific and illegal mining obstructing the flow of Yamuna in the village.” The complainant also alleged that 15 Pokland machines are working day and night causing air pollution.
The court then formed a joint committee to ascertain the facts within a month, appointing pollution control boards as nodal agencies of the respective states.
An official, not wishing to be named, said illegal mining was found at the site that must have changed the flow of water but it was difficult to conclude how old the mining was, while Yamunanagar mining officer Gurjeet Singh said he is not familiar with the report and needs to read it again, for a comment.
Regional officer of the pollution control board, Nirmal Kumar, however, accepted the contradictions and said the revenue and mining officers could not prove their observations made in April, during the final inspection in May.
“No doubt, there could be some instances of illegal mining in the past, but were not substantial enough or deep enough to change the flow of water. The legal mining going on in Saharanpur was far enough from the border area, having sufficient area for their work,” he told HT.