Swami Shivananda of Matri Sadan Ashram here has lambasted Chief Minister Harish Rawat, the State Government and Haridwar district administration accusing them of total failure in stopping illegal mining across the district. The common people are paying the price for this, at times by losing their lives, he said. It may be mentioned that after playing Holi, two youth of Pathri village went for bath in the river. As per a resident of their village, the duo lost their balance and drowned in the river.
The main reason behind their slipping was said to be the long and deep excavations made by the illegal mining mafia on the riverbed and banks. Haridwar rural MlA Yatishwaranand and villagers gathered and protested by blocking traffic on the Haridwar – laksar highway demanding effective action against the mining mafia in Uttarakhand. The MlA also announced a sum of Rs one lakh each for bereaved family members of both the youth from his MlA lAD fund.
Reacting to the issue, Swami Shivanand questioned why the MlAs and MP of Haridwar are not seeking enforcement of complete ban on illegal mining. The apathy of the elected public representatives is further exacerbating the problems being caused by illegal mining. Shivanand further averred that a person claiming to be a media person while representing the mining mafia had offered a blank cheque to him to stop his agitation against mining in the Ganga for some days. Shivanand warned the state machinery that if it is not stopped within a day or two, very soon he too will sit on an indefinite hunger strike with Atambodhan, who is already on indefinite hunger strike for last 19 days against the illegal mining across the district.
He also criticised the chief minister Harish Rawat and the State Government for bypassing the order and provision made by Uttarakhand High Court, Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal (NGT). Bhramhachari Dayanand of Matri Sadan added that they plan to approach the Minister of Environment and Forests, Prakash Javdekar seeking that special powers accorded by law be used by him to protect the Ganga river. It is pertinent to mention that Piran Kaliyar Vikas Samiti of the district has also announced its support to Matri Sadan against the illegal mining. Amzad Ali, Haji Abbas, Azim Qureshi, Irshad Ahmed and others were present at Matri Sadan to express their support.