Issue of Illegal Mining in Uttarakhand :

Uttarakhand State has a long and fascinating past of mining of minerals. Placer Gold, Copper and Iron ores have been extracted/mined  in this part of Himalayan terrain on a very small scale over a hundred years ago. Prior to 1900, Copper ores were being mined on a very small scale in Garhwal division. The expansion of modern technology and decline in the prices also lead to the decline of small scale mining. Mining activity between 1920 and 1930 further declined on account of several social reasons. 

Important minerals that are found to occur in the State are high-grade limestone in Almora, Bageshwar, Dehradun, Nainital, Pauri-Garhwal, Pithoragarh & Tehri-Garhwal districts; magnesite and steatite in Almora, Bageshwar, Chamoli & Pithoragarh districts; and tungsten in Almora district.

Uttarakhand, the quaint hilly state is popular for its scenery. But for quite some time, the state has been plagued with illegal mining which now threatens to sabotage all of this.Legal mining takes places in Uttarakhand at more than 300 sites, mostly in plain areas falling in Nainital, Dehradun, Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar districts.

Mining contributed around ?335 crore to the state’s exchequer during the last fiscal 2016-17, following which the state government set a revenue target of over 550 crore for the current financial year (2017-18).

The government designates specific part of the land or “patta” for mining. However, those carrying out these activities often deviate from the area allocated to them and start mining outside of that patta as well. They then steal the sand and rocks from river bed.However,  due to illegal mining mafia make much more profits than the government (makes) through legal mining. Permits for mining or removal of river bed material (RBM) are issued by the government to miners with certain restrictions to prevent flooding of rivers caused by excessive accumulation of RBM. The state government has undertaken a slew of measures including introduction of e-auctioning for reining in the menace of illegal mining, but there appears to be no end to the menace.

Not just illegal mining, but illegal construction and encroachment of land for illegal activities is another such problem which the valley suffers from.

Governments measures to control Illegal Mining in Uttarakhand :

1. Measures are being put in place to help the checkposts personnel distinguish easily between vehicles loaded with legal and illegal mining material.

2. The state government will soon set up Geo Informatics Cell to collect every information relating to mining activities across the state. Under this system, developed recently by the union mines ministry, the state’s mining department would be in position to develop surveillance network using latest satellite technology.

3. The state government is also considering the use of drones in its proposed campaign against illegal mining.

4. The state has also decided to set up special police teams which will be active in state’s two divisions — Kumaon and Garhwal. The team would be under mines department. It would accommodate one DSP-rank officer, one inspector, one sub-inspector, two head constables and 10 constables.

5. The mines department will also ensure proper audit of all stone crushers and stores meant for mineral resources in the state. The department will issue an e-paper on the basis of audit report for the next financial year.

6. Besides, the government would install CCTV at every exit and entry points of the mining areas. There is also proposal for creating a secret fund to prompt locals to give information on illegal mining.