UTTARAKHAND HIGH COURT STOPS MINING IN KHO, MALAN AND SUKHRO RIVERS, KOTDWAR CONSIDERING ILLEGAL MINING AS THE MAIN REASON FOR FALLING BRIDGES

Excessive rains in various locations of Uttarakhand have created havoc during the ongoing monsoon with not a single area left without massive losses due to over flooding of rivers leading to massive landslides, destruction and demolition of houses, bridges and loss of human lives on large scale with boulders also falling from mountain tops damaging cars and killing people etc.

The cloud bursts incidents have been the most disturbing trend which led to flash floods with rivers, drains and even rivulets overflowing with vehicles and people drowning leading to massive loss of human lives and falling of bridges.

However, the illegal miners who mint multiple profits in an unholy alliance with the politicians and bureaucrats etc by greasing their palms play a major role in these monsoon over flooding and subsequent demolition of bridges and houses including commercial structures as they continuously dig the rivulets making them deep and prone to demolition during excessive rains which damages the foundations of the bridges and other properties including roads etc damaging them fully.

In Uttarakhand illegal mining on massive scale is the best easy option for illegal miners to mint excessive profits in league with politicians in power who provide them licences for these excavations. A business flourishing multiply since Uttarakhand came into separate existence.

Under the guise of these legal excavations and licence, these miners literally rule the roost and illegally excavate excessive natural resources from the rivulets, dry rivers etc making their bases deep prone to flash floods during monsoon killing several humans and leading to demolition of government bridges etc.

The High Court of Uttarakhand on Thursday in its strong and pro people decision has immediately stopped the mining, illegal or legal on Kho, Milan and Sukhro rivers of Kotdwar after the bridges having been demolished during the torrential rains accusing illegal mining on massive scale as the primary reason for these demolitions.

The two judge bench of Uttarakhand HC comprising of CJ Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal has also issued directives to the state government to implement these orders with immense seriousness ensuring that they receive no complaint in this regard in future.

The Court also instructed the authorities concerned to rectify all the damaged bridges at the earliest.

It may be recalled that the UK nation news has highlighted this news in detail expressing serious concern over falling bridges in Uttarakhand earlier urging state government to ensure their safety and strength so that they do not fall again in future again due to rains or any other calamity.

According to latest news the next hearing in this case would take place in the month of November.

The Uttarakhand High Court has taken this serious view and issued this decision while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by one Mr. Aakanksh Aswal of Pauri Garhwal who highlighted the increasing incidents of falling bridges in Uttarakhand especially in Kotdwar recently, holding the miners responsible for these falling bridges leading to loss of human lives and public exchequer.

He specifically highlighted the tragedies of falling bridges of Milan, Kho and Sukhro rivers which led to loss of human lives. The Malan bridge of Kotdwar was constructed at the cost of 12.5 crores and was damaged within 13 years said the petitioner.

The petitioner held the illegal mining as the main reason for demolition of these bridges who had started their illegal excavation of stones, clay, mud and other natural resources just three days after the bridge going down.

Mr. Aswal also demanded immediate stoppage to this illegal mining and reactivation of all the demolished bridges which led not only to human losses but also disconnected thousands of people of Kotdwar.

In another decision of high court, Uttarakhand few days ago Arti Joshi, an enlightened Gram Pradhan of Salan Gaon in Dehradun had filed a PIL against the authorities for granting wrongful permission to miners for illegal excavation namely Harjinder Pal Singh who was also penalised by imposing a penalty of Rs. 1,89,300 on him by the Tehsildar for illegal mining. The petitioner also accused the illegal miners for cutting 759 trees with sufficient evidence in the shape of photographs etc.

Taking a very serious view of this matter the HC directed the respondents – authorities to file counter affidavits withing 14 days unambiguously mentioning about the action taken in this regard after the Gram Panchayat had filed the complaint with all relevant evidences including by the office of DM as, well.