Delhi CM writes to Yogi seeking action against illegal sand mining

Delhi has urged the UP CM to instruct his officials to initiate a joint interstate demarcation process to clearly define jurisdictional boundaries

Chief minister Rekha Gupta wrote to her Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath on Monday, urging him to act against illegal sand mining on the Yamuna floodplains at the Delhi-UP border, noting that it was weakening the river embankments and raising the danger of flood, the chief minister’s office said in a statement.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta. (HT Archive)

According to the statement, Delhi has urged the UP CM to instruct his officials to initiate a joint interstate demarcation process to clearly define jurisdictional boundaries, allowing for synchronised administrative efforts by both states to safeguard the ecological balance of the region.

HT has not seen a copy of the letter.

The statement said chief minister Gupta shared detailed information about sand mining. “Populations living along the Yamuna banks are directly impacted by the changes resulting from this environmental disruption,” it adds.

In an ongoing case, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has been involved in addressing illegal sand mining activities along the Yamuna river in Ghaziabad. Specifically, the NGT has addressed concerns about illegal sand mining in Khasra numbers 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 37, and 38 in village Pachagarha Khand 1, Ghaziabad. The NGT has taken action, including imposing environmental compensation and directing authorities to prevent further illegal mining.

“CM Gupta has informed CM Yogi Adityanath that the National Green Tribunal has consistently raised concerns over illegal sand mining in the Yamuna. The NGT has repeatedly stressed that these activities are causing significant harm and must be stopped. She reiterated that the tribunal has already underlined the urgent need for regulatory enforcement and interstate coordination on the matter,” the CMO said in the statement.

Gupta added that such “activities grossly violate environmental norms, including manipulation of the riverbed and alteration of the river’s natural flow, leading to irreparable ecological damage and serious risks to life and property. The lack of clear jurisdictional boundaries between the two states in certain riverfront areas has led to confusion in enforcement, further complicating the situation.”