By Arun Pratap Singh
Nainital, 5 Dec: A public interest litigation has been filed against the use of heavy machines for mining in Suswa and another river flowing through the Doiwala area of Dehradun district which was heard by the Nainital High Court today. During the hearing, the division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Vivek Bharti Sharma banned the use of heavy machines for mining in the rivers of Doiwala area. The court clearly mandated that mining work be done manually and it has also asked the state government to submit a reply on the matter within four weeks.
It may be recalled that Dehradun resident Virendra Kumar had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Nainital High Court, claiming that the state government’s permission for heavy machine mining in River Suswa and another river in the Doiwala area had caused the water level to drop, directly affecting agricultural land and making it difficult for farmers to irrigate their crops. The PIL also claimed that the local people who were previously getting employment in river mining have become unemployed due to the use of heavy machines for mining in these rivers. Kumar had urged the court to ban mining work with heavy machines, save agricultural land, and prioritise local people over machines for mining work.
During today’s hearing, the state government, through its counsels, argued that, during the rainy season, large amounts of silt, sand, and big boulders enter the river, causing blockages and altering the river’s flow. In such situations, machines are needed instead of manpower to clear the river. The government claimed that the use of heavy machines had been allowed to ensure continuous and uninterrupted flow of the rivers in Doiwala. The state government has to file a written response in this regard with the court within next four weeks.
