On April 15, the NGT ordered that “no illegal, unauthorised, unscientific mining” should take place in Haridwar “without taking environmental clearance.”

Swami Shivanand of the Matri Sadan Ashram is on an indefinite fast since March 31 to attract the government’s attention to the issue. In June 2011, Swami Nigmanand of the same ashram also on fast to highlight illegal mining, succumbed to alleged organophosphate poisoning after 72 days. .

“The mining mafia continues its work despite the NGT order. Even before the NGT order, a team from the Union Environment Ministry had visited Haridwar to survey the areas where illegal mining is rampant. The team submitted its report to the Ministry on March 27, but no action was taken on it,” Swami Shivanand said.

No action on report

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in its report on ‘Mining of minor minerals in Dhobhighat, Misserpur, Ajeetpur, Bishanpur, Sajjanpur, and Raighati Aithmal’ on the riverbed of the Ganga in Haridwar states: “…large-scale illegal mining of minor minerals was noticed along the riverbed of the Ganga… Hundreds of tractors were found engaged in transport of the minor minerals (sand, ‘bajri’ and boulders).”

The report further stated that no government official was found in the area and recommended that illegal mining in the area be immediately stopped.