NANITAL: The advocate general told the Uttarakhand high court on Wednesday that no illegal mining activity will be permitted in Ganga river at Haridwar.

The high court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Jai Prakash Badoni on Monday alleging that despite a ban on illegal mining activities by several institutions, including the National Green Tribunal and the high court itself in the Ganga river at Haridwar, "impunged orders" were passed by the additional chief secretary of the state and Haridwar DM on May 16, 19 respectively.

"Advocate general U K Uniyal gave assurance to the honourable court that no illegal mining activity will be allowed in the Ganga. We have submitted all the relevant documents along with the HC order dated July 24, 2012 which stated that mining activity can only be carried out after 'Environment Impact Assessment'," said Ajay Veer Pundir, advocate of the petitioner.

According to the petitioner, the letter by the additional chief secretary to the Haridwar DM stated that action must be taken as per the combined inspection report dated May 6. The letter, dated May 16, states that under the Disaster Management Act, river bed material and debris should be removed from the Ganga's river bed to prevent flooding during monsoon. "So, I am being instructed to say on this subject that DM to ensure effective proceedings under Disaster Management Act to remove RBM (river bed material) and debris wherever it is deposited in the river."

After this, the district magistrate issued order to the executive engineer of irrigation department of the district on May 19 citing Section 33 of Disaster Management Act 2005 "to act according to rules of disaster management".

The petitioner contended that under the garb of removing accumulated river bed material in the river to prevent disaster or flood, mining is rampant at different sites in Haridwar.

Badoni also stated in the petition that an expert team from Union Ministry of Environmental, Forest and Climate Change after an inspection in February recommended that no mining activity can be carried out in the Ganga. Directions to this effect were also issued by the Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Board concerning illegal mining at different sites of the Ganga.