CHANDIGARH: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned mining at all 85 identified sites across the state after an application was filed by the panchayat of Gahlri village in Gurdaspur district. The tribunal stayed the desilting of the Ravi river in Gurchak, Gunia, and other villages of Gurdaspur district until further orders, though it allowed the tender proceedings to continue.
A bench comprising NGT Chairperson Prakash Shrivastava and Expert Member A. Senthil Vel on Saturday ordered that while the tender process may proceed, the desilting work shall not commence without the tribunal’s permission.
“Though the tender work will proceed, the desilting work will not commence,” the NGT ruled, issuing notice to the respondents and posting the matter for May 14.
The order is significant for villagers, as floods had devastated large tracts of land in the state during August and September last year due to illegal mining carried out by unscrupulous elements.
The panchayat of Gahlri village had approached the NGT challenging the tender and auction notices issued on December 19 and January 2, 3, and 5 by the Mines and Geology Wing of the Water Resources Department of the state government for desilting and removal of riverbed material.
Counsel for the Gahlri panchayat argued that since the dredging and desilting work was intended for commercial purposes, mandatory environmental clearances were required before issuing the impugned auction notices. It was further contended that the village is located downstream and that any desilting activity would adversely affect the villagers’ land.
The order noted that the counsel produced a copy of a compliance report, submitted by way of affidavit by the Additional Chief Secretary, Mines and Geology, Punjab. The affidavit stated that, in compliance with the tribunal’s directions, the state had enacted the Punjab Regulation of Crusher Units, Stockists and Retailers Act, 2025, and notified the Punjab State Minor Minerals (Amendment) Policy, 2025.
“The Department of Water Resources, Punjab, has identified 85 desilting sites in the state, of which 36 sites, comprising 31,946,482 square feet of area and 255,505,547 cubic feet of material, are being auctioned. This desilted material shall provide an additional legal source for the sale and processing of minor minerals in the open market,” the affidavit stated.