Illegal miners divert flow of khuds in Palampur, irrigation schemes go dry

Rampant illegal mining along the Beas and its tributaries — Mol, Mandh and Neugal khuds, has caused significant environmental damage. These khuds, which supply drinking water and irrigation to lower Palampur, have been severely impacted. Mining has forced the tributaries to change their courses, destabilised the riverbeds, and lowered the water levels, affecting crucial water supply schemes and agriculture.

According to reports, the villages along these khuds are among the worst affected. Unabated sand and stone extraction has left deep, wide pits on the riverbeds, further lowering the water levels. The reckless mining has rendered several drinking water supply systems and lift irrigation schemes useless, as the khuds’ water levels continue to decrease. Villagers allege that illegal sand miners have diverted the water flow using JCB machines, which worsens the problem.

Despite repeated complaints to the CM’s helpline, no significant action has been taken. Villagers argue that this has left hundreds of acres of fertile land barren. They believe the recent decision by the government to allow JCB machines for mining has aggravated the situation, as it leads to the formation of deep trenches in the riverbed. As these machines dig for stones, the water level continues to drop, further disrupting the local ecosystem and agriculture.

In 2010, India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change issued guidelines on sand mining, which were upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012. These guidelines state that mining should not exceed a depth of one metre from the riverbed, and operations must cease when water is visible in the pit. However, these guidelines are not followed in this region, with the mining department and illegal operators allegedly working in collusion.

The state government, under pressure from the mining lobby, allowed the use of JCB machines in 2024, imposing an annual fee of 3 lakh rupees for sand and stone extraction. However, stone crushers are reportedly using more JCB machines than permitted, with little to no enforcement by authorities, resulting in significant financial losses to the state exchequer.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has recently raised concerns about the environmental impacts of riverbed mining, warning that it threatens the flow of rivers and the ecosystems around them. The NGT has banned sand mining on riverbeds without the approval of the Ministry of Environment. However, despite these regulations, illegal mining continues to wreak havoc on the region’s environment and water resources.