
60 stone crushers sealed in Haridwar under HC order
District mining officer Kazim Raza told TOI on Saturday, "While the court had directed action against 48 units, we extended the crackdown to all stone crushers located within a five-kilometre radius of the Ganga. Some of these were non-operational, but action was taken against them as well."
The action follows a 2017 petition filed by Haridwar-based Matri Sadan, an ashram involved in environmental protection, which alleged unauthorised mining in the river and raised concerns of rampant quarrying threatening the sustainability of the river.
Haridwar DM Mayur Dixit told TOI, "Electricity connections in these units have been disconnected. Earlier, we had also shut down their online portal and ordered stern action against illegal mining.
"
Matri Sadan has also sought security for the ashram. "We have written several letters requesting protection, as the mining lobby may target us, but no action has been taken. Now we are going to file a separate petition in the high court on Monday," said Brahmachari Sudhanand, a seer of Matri Sadan involved in the litigation, adding that all stone crushers within the restricted zone should be shut down permanently.
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