Matri Sadan has once again launched a crusade against illegal mining in Ganga river bed. Swami Atmabodhanand began his ‘Tapasya’ in the form of indefinite hunger strike on Saturday and continued it for the second day.
The founder of Matri Sadan has alleged that under the shelter of political leaders of different parties, the mining activity is being carried out in broad day light in Ganga especially villages like Bishenpur, Bhogpur and Shyampur.
Speaking to The Pioneer, he said, “The stone crushers of BJP state secretary Naresh bansak, UKD former minister Diwakar Bhatt’s son, Cabinet Minister of Harish Rawat’s Government, Dinesh Agarwal, rebel legislator of Congress Subodh Uniyal and former legislator of Congress Harish Dhani are running in the district. If the material after illegal mining has reached these stone crushers, then action should be taken against them.
Mining in Ganga river and its tributaries is a big business. Shivanand has alleged that the chief minister Harish Rawat gives support to the stone crushers involved in the illegal 300 crore mining business by not taking any action against them. Equally responsible are the district magistrate and some local legislators, alleged the seer.
He said when President Rule was imposed in Uttarakhand, then there was a blanket ban on mining and these district officials were also the same but as soon as the Rawat Government came into force, illegal mining has become rampant. District Magistrate and other revenue officials are also silent over the issue.
The villagers are also upset that the mining mafia are not only robbing the earth but also spoiling the farmland tracks. Bhikkampur resident Manoj Kumar who owns a farm house said, “The JCB and Pokland machines are traversing their routes through our farms and lift the sand and stones from the Banganga and destroying the connecting roads to the village.”