“We, the petitioners, were supposed to coordinate with the authorities to show the mined areas, but the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) officials inspected areas selectively,” complained Brahmchari Sudhanand, member of Haridwar-based environmental group Matri Sadan.
Sudhanand’s comment referred to an inspection of the Ganga river by CPCB on February 18-19, 2025 in pursuance of a directive by the Uttarakhand High Court. The court, on February 14, had asked CPCB to assess mining activities in the Ganga stretch from Raiwala to Bhogpur in Dehradun after Matri Sadan, in 2022, submitted photographic evidence and eyewitness testimonies of indiscriminate mechanised mining and transport by trucks. The inspection report, submitted by CPCB to the high court and received by Matri Sadan on March 5, acknowledges the presence of illegal mining, including the lodging of cases against illegal mining. It highlights:
Prevalence of crushers: The Bhogpur area houses 53 of the total 121 stone crushers in Haridwar. Annexures to the report indicated that 22 stone crushing units in Bhogpur have either had their operational permit suspended, or their lease has expired.
Proximity to the river: The report identified 10 stone crushers within 1 km of the Ganga in the Raiwala to Bhogpur stretch, a potential violation of the Uttarakhand Stone Crusher Policy, 2021, which mandates a minimum distance of 1 km. The policy was enacted following earlier high court orders and the National Mission for Clean Ganga guidelines that initially stipulated a 5 km buffer zone.
Violations at inspected sites: During their visit, the CPCB team inspected three of these 10 stone crusher sites. Two units — M/s Shiv Shakti Stone Crusher and M/s Shri Sai Stone Industries — were found to be operating at only 501 m and 802 m from the Ganga. Further, all three inspected sites, including M/s Mahalakshmi Gramodhyog Sansthan (whose Consent To Operate or CTO expired in March 2022), were found to be non-compliant with CTO provisions, lacking proper green belts and dust control measures.
Processed material seen despite claims of inactivity: While the report stated stone crushing was not actively taking place during the inspection, processed material was observed at all three visited sites, raising questions about ongo-ing operations, despite the claims.
Evidence of mining pits: In villages near the stone crushers (Chandpura, Bisanpur and Rani Majra), the report noted presence of mined pits of minor minerals within the flood zone along the Raiwala to Bhogpur stretch, suggesting unauthorised extraction. It acknowledged claims of FIRs being lodged by the state administration in the past two years regarding such instances.
Mining depth exceeding limits: In an area where the Ganga meets its tributary Ravasan, the report found that mining leases granted by the state beyond the specified stretch were being exploited to depths of 1 m to 2.2 m, exceeding the permissible limit of 1.5 m.
Sudhanand claimed there are discrepancies and omissions in the report that suggested a deliberate downplaying of the issue. “The CPCB team avoided inspecting Tanda Bhagmal, which is the most severely impacted site of illegal mining. It refused to collaborate with peti-tioners as instructed by the court,” he said. “Despite photographs showing dumpers and loaders near stone crushers, the report frequently states that no heavy machinery was observed,” Sudhanand added.
He also pointed out a reduction in the reported fines imposed for illegal mining, from a previously cited amount of about Rs 18 crore to the current report’s mention of Rs 6.11 crore reco-vered against Rs 7.95 crore imposed.
The petitioners emphasised that the report appears to be largely a compilation of information provided by the district mining officer, Qazim Raza, with a lack of independent scientific observations and analysis by the CPCB officials themselves.
Raza denied the allegations and said, “How is it possible (that he influenced where CPCB officials will go for in-spection) when petitioners were also there. They have videography of the inspection as well and if what they are saying is true then they can show the video in court to prove it.”
The petitioners said they were there at the inspection sites but CPCB officials ignored them. “The report also does not include comparative data or analysis showing the extent of environmen-tal damage from illegal mining or the impact on local communities, including the devastation of farmland,” Sudhanand said.
Petitioners claimed satellite images showing recent excavations in the banned stretch were not adequately considered in the report, despite photographic evidence in the report corroborating these activities.
Matri Sadan has now requested a reinspection under direct supervision of the court and demanded that action be taken against the CPCB team for manipulating the report. The team included Vinay Kumar Upadhyay, Scientist ‘C’ and Arvind Kumar, Scientist ‘B’, Head Office, CPCB, Delhi; and Arvind Kumar, Scientist ‘C’, CPCB, Regional Directorate, Luck-now. When contacted, Upadhyay refused to speak about the alle-gations. Emails to the chairman and member secretary, CPCB, remain unanswered.
How the Uttarakhand Ganga mining case progressed
2022: Matri Sadan files a petition in the Uttarakhand High Court, saying illegal quarrying and stone crushing was destroying the Ganga riverbed and tributaries in the stretch from Raiwala to Bhogpur in Dehradun
March 16, 2022: The court bans mining in the contested region
2024: The court observes that mining is still being carried out, based on a report by commissioners it appointed
February 14, 2025: The court criticises the continuation of mining activities despite its 2023 ban. Directs the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to inspect
February 18-19, 2025: CPCB inspects the Ganga stretch and confirms Illegal mining
March 6, 2025: Matri Sadan files objections to the CPCB report before the high court
(Sukriti Vats is a Writing Fellow with Land Conflict Watch, an independent network of researchers studying land conflicts, climate change and natural resource governance in India)
This was first published in the 1-15 July, 2025 Print edition of Down To Earth