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Centre bans riverbed mining operations during monsoons

ByJayashree Nandi
Aug 31, 2024 03:50 AM IST

The ministry wrote to state governments and UTs on its decision this week following several requests by Uttarakhand government and mining companies in Himachal.

The Union environment ministry has said no quarrying of riverbed material and sand mining operations should be carried out during the monsoon season. The ministry wrote to state governments and UTs on its decision this week following several requests by Uttarakhand government and mining companies in Himachal Pradesh earlier this year to extend the permission for sand mining till June-- the first monsoon month.

The monsoon plays an important role in replenishing sand and boulder material. (File photo)
The monsoon plays an important role in replenishing sand and boulder material. (File photo)

The Chief Secretary, Government of Uttarakhand in a letter on May 17 requested the Ministry to amend/extend the period of sand mining stipulated in the approvals granted by the ministry for quarrying of sand to bring uniformity in the approvals granted for sand mining in the forest areas, the Forest Advisory Committee stated in its meeting held on July 4.

“A similar request has also been received in respect of a proposal pertaining to the state of Himachal Pradesh wherein, it has been requested to extend the period of working till July which is currently allowed till May,” FAC noted.

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The Chief Secretary, Uttarakhand also mentioned the list of important rivers where such approvals have been granted by the ministry and requested to extend the period till June every year to bring uniformity besides ensuring smooth quarrying operations in the interest of the state.

For most such mining projects, the period allowed for mining is October 1 to May 31 every year.

“The Committee also noted that the Central Government has issued Sustainable Sand Mining Guidelines, 2016 and Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020 to ensure that sand and gravel mining is done in an environment ally sustainable and socially responsible manner. It has been inter alia recommended in the Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining 2020 that there shall be no riverbed mining operation allowed in monsoon period. The period as defined by IMD Nagpur for each state shall be adhered,” FAC noted.

Based on decision of FAC, the ministry has now written to all states and UTs that: “The validity of sand quarrying operations, as stipulated in the approvals granted by the Ministry under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980 in the past stands modified to the extent as mentioned in the condition (i), as stated above.” The condition (i) is that no mining operations should be carried out during the monsoon period.

Further, state government and union territory administrations shall adhere to the provisions of the Sustainable Sand Mining Guidelines, 2016 and Enforcement and Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining, 2020 issued by the ministry to ensure sustainable sand quarrying from the rivers beds in the forest areas.

The monsoon plays an important role in replenishing sand and boulder material. The Enforcement & Monitoring Guidelines for Sand Mining 2020 recommend four surveys: the first in the month of April for recording the level of mining lease before the monsoon; the second survey at the time of closing of mines for monsoon season to provide the quantity of the material excavated before the monsoon; the third, after the monsoon to know the quantum of material deposited/replenished in the mining lease; and the fourth at the end of March to know the quantity of material excavated during the financial year.

“A replenishment study is critical to understand how much river bed material can be extracted. This should be done before and after monsoon to understand how much could be replenished next year. Monsoon brings need RBM to the river. Also, during monsoon if you remove RBM, its very dangerous as it can lead to meandering of river towards the banks and cause flooding. Uttarakhand which is prone to disasters should be particularly cautious about this,” said Hemant Dhyani, a member of the Supreme Court’s High Powered Committee (HPC) on the char dham road and Uttarakhand based environmentalist.

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