Himachal Pradesh High Court: File action taken report on mining close to Asan wetland

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, August 5

The HP High Court has directed the state government to file a status report, furnishing the details about the action initiated against persons, who are carrying out mining activities within the 10-km radius of the Asan Wetland Conservation Reserve without the requisite permission.

The court passed this order on a petition alleging that Himachal Pradesh had granted several mining licences in various areas close to the wetlands and national parks.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Satyen Vaidya directed the state authorities to take action against those indulging in mining activities within the 10-km radius of the Asan Wetland Conservation Reserve without obtaining permission from the Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife or the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The court passed this order on a petition alleging that Himachal Pradesh had granted several mining licences in various areas close to the wetlands and national parks. More importantly, there appears to be an issue about the demarcation of the inter-state boundary between the states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and it is being contended that some persons holding mining licences granted by the Himachal Pradesh Government are operating within the 10-km radius of the wetlands and the national park falls in Uttarakhand.

On the previous date of hearing, the report of the Survey of India was placed before the court, which mentioned that 43 mining leases and 26 stone crushers are operating inside the buffer zone of the Asan Conservation Reserve. The report also revealed the list of mining leases granted in Himachal Pradesh from the inter-state boundary with Uttarakhand.

The report revealed the extent of encroachment by some mining lease holders, who had been granted permission by Himachal Pradesh in Uttarakhand. After taking on record the report on the last date of hearing, the court had asked the Advocate General to place on record the details of the environment clearance obtained from the Union Government either under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, or the Environment Protection Act, with regard to the mining licences/stone crushers licences granted by it, which fall within the 10-km zone.