Rampant mining wreaks havoc on environment, drains state exchequer
Reckless and unscientific mining across the Jaisinghpur, Baijnath and Palampur regions of Kangra district is not only causing severe environmental degradation but also inflicting significant financial losses on the state exchequer every year.
Much of this illegal activity is carried out by individuals who lack legal rights to extract sand, stone, bajri and other raw materials from local khuds and quarries. Despite this, they manage to obtain no-objection certificates (NOCs) from various departments, allegedly with the backing of political patronage. Officials from the Mining Department have largely turned a blind eye, allowing the unchecked cutting of hills and indiscriminate excavation of riverbeds.
The proliferation of stone crushers in Jaisinghpur and other parts of Palampur has severely impacted the region’s fragile ecosystem. JCBs and tippers operate daily in local rivers and rivulets, openly extracting sand and stone despite a ban on mining in the Beas. Shockingly, in some areas, the mining mafia has even diverted the river’s natural flow.
According to information gathered by The Tribune, over 7,000 hectares of land have been affected by quarrying and construction activities in the sub-divisions of Palampur, Baijnath and Jaisinghpur. In Neugal khud, which passes through Palampur town, rampant mining has disrupted multiple water supply schemes and damaged transmission lines.
Quarrying in the Neugal, Binwa, Awa and Mandh rivers has placed more than 60 irrigation and drinking water schemes at risk. Notably, the Kirpal Chand kuhal, which supports over 30 panchayats and 100 villages in the Palampur, Bhawarna and Daroh blocks, is under threat. Similarly, the Charnamati and lower Baijnath kuhals serving 15 panchayats are in danger due to mining in their catchment areas.
A senior officer from the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department expressed concern, stating: “We have repeatedly urged the Mining Department to take action against illegal mining. If immediate steps are not taken, more than a dozen drinking water schemes that draw from the Neugal and nearby khuds could run dry within five years.”
Over the past five years, the water levels of Neugal and other khuds—including Binwa, Gaj, Baner, Awa, Bathoo, Mol and Bhiral—have steadily declined. These streams collectively support around 200 drinking water schemes in Kangra district. During last summer, many of them ran dry as early as April and May, creating drought-like conditions for the local population.
Since these khuds are tributaries of the Beas, the water level in Pong Dam has also seen a sharp decline. An official from the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) attributed this to large-scale deforestation and illegal quarrying in the catchment areas.
“We’ve written several times to the Himachal Pradesh government to control illicit felling, mining and quarrying, particularly in Kangra and Mandi districts,” the official said. “The unchecked inflow of silt is reducing the dam’s lifespan year after year.”
Despite repeated warnings and evidence of ecological damage, serious intervention remains elusive. As hills are gouged out and rivers stripped of their natural flow, both the environment and the economy continue to pay the price.
Himachal Tribune