By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 28 Mar: Illegal mining in Uttarakhand has become a hot topic of discussion and debate in the political and social circles in Uttarakhand currently. It may be recalled that former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and BJP MP from Haridwar, Trivendra Singh Rawat, has been actively raising state-related issues during the ongoing budget session of Parliament. After addressing concerns about avalanche and disaster management by the government, Rawat turned his focus to illegal mining in Uttarakhand. In response, mining secretary Brijesh Sant has issued a video statement today, denying the allegations.
It may be recalled that speaking in the Lok Sabha, Rawat had yesterday alleged that illegal mining operations are being carried out in Dehradun, Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, and Nainital with the connivance of the administration. He had claimed that overloaded trucks transport mining materials without valid permits, damaging roads and bridges and posing environmental and law-and-order risks. Despite government directives, mining mafias continue to operate freely, he asserted.
In response, Uttarakhand’s Mining Secretary Brijesh Kumar Sant has issued a statement recorded in form of a video clip, denying Rawat’s allegations. Sant has claimed that the government has significantly curbed illegal mining. He pointed out that since the formation of the state in 2002, mining revenue never crossed Rs 200 crore. However, under the Dhami government, this milestone was achieved in the 2023-24 financial year.
It is not clear whether Sant has chosen to issue a clarification in this regard on his own or has been directed by the government to issue a rebuttal to Rawat’s allegations. However, the fact remains that bureaucrats usually refrain from sticking their neck out in political games and usually choose to remain silent on such allegations. In view of this fact, Sant’s statement is being seen as the state government’s rebuttal to Rawat’s claims. Sant has quoted higher income from mining as the basis to rebut the claims of Trivendra Singh Rawat and has also shared comparative data related to the mining revenue of the tenure of the current CM Pushkar Singh Dhami and the former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat to rebut the claims of Rawat.
It may be pertinent to note that Rawat’s remarks have certainly sparked a political reaction and the Congress, which is the main Opposition party has seized the opportunity to target the state government. State Congress President Karan Mahara has shared Rawat’s Parliament speech on social media, criticising the BJP-led government for allegedly ignoring the issue. He stated that while the illegal mining issue has reached Parliament, the state government remained unresponsive.
With the issue gaining traction, it remains to be seen how the government will address Rawat’s concerns and whether further action will be taken against illegal mining activities in the state.
