Home / Environment / Uttarakhand HC Forms Expert Panel on Rampant Mining
Uttarakhand HC Forms Expert Panel on Rampant Mining
7 Jan
Summary
- High Court forms expert committee to monitor mining in Bageshwar.
- Concerns raised over unscientific mining, ecological degradation, and land subsidence.
- Committee to submit interim reports on environmental impact every 15 days.
The Uttarakhand High Court has mandated the creation of a high-level expert committee to scrutinize mining operations in Bageshwar district. This decision follows widespread concerns about unscientific and unregulated mining practices leading to ecological degradation and land subsidence in the fragile Himalayan region. The court expressed dissatisfaction with the state's inability to prove that scientific and safe mining methods are being employed.
The committee, comprising specialists from leading scientific institutions, will assess whether mining can proceed without causing irreversible environmental damage. It is tasked with recommending appropriate mining methods and will submit interim reports every 15 days, starting January 15, 2026. This directive came after the court took suo motu cognisance in 2025 regarding reports of extensive unregulated mining.
Court observations highlighted Uttarakhand's high seismic risk and history of disasters, underscoring the need for caution. Evidence presented included a police report on the seizure of 124 heavy machines from mining sites and revelations that many leaseholders used heavy machinery despite permissions allowing only manual or semi-mechanised operations, violating environmental clearance conditions.
