Nainital, Jan 10 (PTI) The Uttarakhand High Court while hearing a PIL on cracks in houses due to the mining activities of soapstone or ‘khadiya’ in Bageshwar district, issued notices to 159 mining lease holders.
It also asked the state government to file its reply in this regard within four weeks.
The court had taken suo motu cognizance of widely published news exposing the fallout of the mining activities, as alleged by the villagers.
A division bench of Chief Justice G Narender and Justice Manoj Tiwari had banned all mining operations in Bageshwar earlier.
Dissatisfied over the continuation of mining activities, the court had asked the state to take action against the mining officers and those who violated the order.
Bageshwar Senior Superintendent of Police on Friday filed an affidavit in the court informing it that the police had seized 124 Pokelin and JCB machines from the mining area.
The high court then issued notices to 159 mining lease holders and asked them to file their replies before the court.
Extending the ban on the mining of chalk, the high court also asked the state government to file its detailed reply within four weeks.
The court has posted the matter for hearing on February 14. PTI DPT NB VN VN
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