DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the severe environmental degradation and danger posed to residents in several villages of Bageshwar district, stemming from rampant soapstone (khadya) mining activities that have reportedly caused structural damage to local homes.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice G Narender and Justice Subhash Upadhyay issued a strong directive, mandating the immediate installation of GPS tracking systems on all vehicles involved in mining operations to monitor their movement and curb illegal transportation.
The intervention followed a desperate letter penned by affected villagers to the then Chief Justice, detailing how unregulated mining was systematically destroying their livelihoods and infrastructure.
The Court reaffirmed that under existing Uttarakhand mining regulations, GPS integration is compulsory for all mining vehicles. These systems must be linked to the 'Ramanna Portal' to allow real-time tracking of vehicle movement and mineral transport data.
During the hearing, a report submitted by the Bageshwar District Mining Officer revealed inconsistencies. The report highlighted instances where a mere 55-kilometre journey was logged as taking between 12 to 18 hours—a duration deemed practically impossible.
"These discrepancies point towards a severe breakdown in regulatory oversight," stated the petitioners' advocate, pushing for strict adherence to established norms.
Responding to the evidence of non-compliance, the bench instructed the State Government to effectively implement the relevant mining rules within one week. Furthermore, the Court directed the state to develop a robust technological framework, with assistance from its Information Technology Department, to ensure statewide compliance with the mining policy.
The plight of the villagers in Kanda Tehsil paints a grim picture of environmental injustice. Their petition clearly stated that mining activities have severely impacted agriculture, residential structures, and vital drinking water supply lines.
"The wealthy have already fled to cities like Haldwani, leaving behind only the poor and helpless," one local resident reportedly stated in the letter to the court. "The people involved in this illegal mining have jeopardized our entire means of survival. We petitioned the authorities repeatedly, but no concrete action was taken, forcing us to seek justice from the judiciary."