Uttarakhand HC stays government’s new mining policy

In a setback to the Uttarakhand government, the Uttarakhand High Court has put a stay on the state’s new mining policy, which was implemented on October 28, 2021. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Justice Alok Kumar Verma issued notice to the government on a petition filed in the matter. The government has been directed to respond to this petition within four weeks. This petition has been filed by a resident of Nainital. The petition has alleged that the new mining policy was implemented without taking approval from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The petition also alleged that due process was not followed while issuing mining leases to private parties and potential damage to the environment was ignored. Under the new policy, the first right of quarrying on land up to 5 hectares will be given to its owner and no person will be given the right to excavate two areas on lease.