Nainital, Jan 5 (PTI) The Uttarakhand High Court on Monday observed that mining vehicles must be fitted with GPS for data collection during a hearing on cracks to structures due to digging for soapstone (khaira) in several villages of Bageshwar district.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice G Narendra and Justice Subhash Upadhyay heard the matter emerging from a PIL and posted the matter for the next day.
On Monday, the bench said the vehicles should also be integrated with the Ramanna Portal so that their data can be tracked.
Earlier, a report had been submitted by the Bageshwar District Mining Officer, stating that several irregularities had been found in mineral transportation.
For instance, a distance of 55 kilometres was shown as being covered in 12 to 18 hours, which is practically not possible.
The court directed that the rules be implemented within one week and that the state ensure compliance.
Earlier, residents of Kanda tehsil wrote a letter to the Chief Justice stating that illegal soapstone mining had destroyed their agriculture, homes, and water pipelines.
Those who were financially well-off constructed houses in Haldwani and other places, while only poor people are now left in the villages, they claimed.
They said their sources of livelihood have also come under threat due to people involved in soapstone mining.
In this regard, several representations were submitted earlier to the government officials, but no solution to their problems was found, leading to the court case. PTI COR VN VN
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