HARIDWAR: The Uttarakhand high court on Friday heard a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Matri Sadan ashram against mining in the Ganga river. A division bench of acting Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Justice RC Khulbe has sought central government’s response on the matter by March 8.
The PIL alleges that Ganga river is being illegally quarried indiscriminately which has in turn threatened the existence of the riverbed.
Currently, the Kumbh area, too, is being mined illegally, the PIL alleged. The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), constituted by the central government, has banned such illegal activities and has repeatedly ordered the state government to discontinue the quarrying but it has had no effect, the ashram said.
