Clearance for riverbed mining in 2 weeks

The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) may give the final clearance for riverbed mining in forests areas of Uttarakhand in next one to two weeks, a state government official said on Monday. The chairman of state-run Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation (UFDC), Jyoti Prasad Gairola, said he expected the final clearance in next one to two weeks time, as an empowered committee in the Union ministry has already given its in principle approval.

The mining activities in the rivers of hill state have been banned for past one-and-a-half years after the ministry refused to give its permission expressing environmental concerns, as they fall in forest areas.

The empowered committee gave its approval after the UFDC submitted various survey reports regarding wildlife and hydrology of the forest areas, where it had sought permission for riverbed mining. The UFDC had also prepared a separate environmental impact assessment (EIA) report in this regard. The UFDC had hired a Delhi-based consultant to prepare EIA on rivers like Gola, Sharda, Dabka and Kosi in Kumaon region and Songh and Jakhan in Garhwal region. The ban on riverbed mining in the hill state had not only affected those associated with its business but also raised the construction cost many times.

"The cost of building materials became double to triple since the mining activities were banned in the state making it difficult for the people to construct buildings," said Gairola, adding, he was hopeful that the cost of material would come down with the clearance from the ministry.