KANPUR: Union environment and forest minister Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the Centre would put a blanket ban on sand mining across the country.

Coming down heavily on the Uttarakhand government , he said the Centre would take action under the Environment Protection Act if the state government didn't stop illegal sand mining along the Ganga within three weeks.

Ramesh said the environment ministry would be compelled to take action against the BJP-ruled state government under Section 5 of the Act which gives the Centre power to direct the closure, prohibition or regulation of any industry.

The Union minister said the Centre had written to the Uttarakhand government, asking it to put a blanket ban on illegal sand mining along the Ganga river . ``We are still waiting for its reply,'' he said.

He said Swami Nigmanand had ended his hunger strike on his assurance. ``But it's very unfortunate that later the state government didn't pay any heed to his demands of a ban on illegal sand mining on the Ganga riverbed and he met an untimely end,'' he said.