Himachal: Villagers protest against illegal mining in Newgal river
Himachal Pradesh: Residents of Purba Village staged a protest against illegal mining in Negal river near Mundi village and highlighted its environmental and economic impacts. A large group of men and women submitted a memorandum to the Dhira SDM, urging immediate action to stop the activities. They informed that a stone crusher owner was allegedly extracting sand and stones in violation of rules using heavy machines like JCB and Poklen machines. Deep pits have been dug in the river, which has worsened the situation. Despite a complete ban on mining in Negal river, illegal operations continue unabated. Machinery has been seen working round the clock, but local officials have failed to take effective action. SDM Salem Azam has directed the police and the mining department to intervene, but mining continues as of this report. According to the villagers, the stone crusher owner, who is allegedly linked to a Congress leader, does not have a valid lease. Complaints made to Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu and the Industries Minister have not yielded any result. The local tehsildar’s office confirmed the absence of legal permits, further revealing the scale of the violations.
Illegal mining has caused significant environmental damage, including deforestation, landslides and flash floods, affecting more than 20,000 hectares of land in Palampur and surrounding areas. The reshaping of the landscape has disrupted the local ecosystem and threatened infrastructure, including irrigation and drinking water schemes. Villages that depend on irrigation channels in the catchment areas of the Negal, Mol and Binwa rivers are at risk of losing their water sources. Mining has also threatened village roads, cremation grounds and walkways, affecting more than 100 panchayats and 200 villages in Palampur, Bhawarna, Daroh and Baijnath blocks. The illegal trade, reportedly supported by political leaders, deprives the state of crores of rupees in royalties annually. The issue has attracted the attention of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, which took suo motu cognizance of a news report on November 2, 2024, and treated it as a public interest litigation (PIL). The Chief Secretary and Kangra DC have been directed to file a status report. The villagers are demanding immediate action to curb illegal mining and protect the environment. They hope that the intervention of the judiciary will ensure accountability and provide relief to the affected areas.
