Mining the mountains dry: Kangra’s Beas river system on brink

Kangra, one of the most ecologically sensitive districts of the western Himalayas, stands at the crossroads. Between the snow-bound Dhauladhar range and the Shivalik foothills, its rivers — the Beas, Neugal, Baner and Manuni — carry the lifeblood of the region. Yet, the same rivers that sustain Kangra’s economy are now bearing the scars of unregulated mining, a crisis that has turned the district’s natural wealth into its greatest vulnerability.

The Beas river system defines Kangra’s landscape, carving fertile valleys that feed both agriculture and settlements. Along its tributaries, sand, gravel and boulders — classified as minor minerals — have long supported local construction. What began as small-scale extraction for village needs has, over two decades, turned into a commercial enterprise driven by rapid infrastructure growth and urban expansion.

Dozens of legally identified mining sites exist along the river courses. Yet, illegal and excessive extraction continues, often under the cover of darkness. Trucks laden with sand and stones ply rural roads, disturbing villages and damaging fragile riverbanks.

“Every truckload removed from a riverbed changes its rhythm,” said Atul Bhardwaj, a local environmentalist and social worker. “These are not inert materials — they maintain the balance between erosion and deposition that holds the mountains together,” he said.

Environmental studies warn that deepening of riverbeds has destabilised bridges, eroded banks and lowered groundwater tables in several areas. Near Sansarpur Terrace and Haripur, the Beas has reportedly shifted its channel alignment as excessive mining has deepened the bed beyond natural replenishment. When sediment removal outpaces deposition, rivers erode their own banks to regain equilibrium, endangering farmland and houses.

Experts note that mining below the one-metre permissible depth disturbs groundwater recharge. Farmers along the Baner and Neugal rivers say their shallow wells have gone dry and water tables have fallen noticeably over the past few years.

For many households in lower Kangra, sand mining once provided seasonal income during non-farming months. Small contractors, drivers and labourers relied on it to supplement their livelihoods. But as larger commercial operators entered the trade, backed by political and bureaucratic influence, small players were pushed out of the business. The transformation from community-based extraction to industrial-scale operations has left both people and ecosystems vulnerable. What once supported rural incomes is now eroding the ecological foundation of those very livelihoods.

The recently released District Survey Report (DSR) on Kangra’s minor minerals has attempted to map this fragile balance. The report, prepared under the guidelines of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, combines geological data with ecological indicators to identify safe and prohibited zones for mining.

It calls for periodic replenishment studies to monitor sediment regeneration and recommends afforestation along riverbanks to stabilise soil. Using GIS mapping and satellite imagery, the DSR marks areas suitable for limited extraction while urging restoration of degraded stretches.

However, environmentalists caution that without strict enforcement, such reports risk becoming “inventories of opportunity” rather than instruments of caution.

Kangra’s ecological stress is further amplified by climate change. The district has recorded erratic rainfall patterns, more frequent cloudbursts and faster snow melt from the Dhauladhar range. These changes also affect sediment flow and flood intensity. Unregulated mining worsens the situation by stripping the riverbed of its natural capacity to buffer floods.

During recent monsoons, swollen rivers have cut into banks, washed away roads and damaged newly built bridges. The DSR’s call for riparian vegetation restoration is, therefore, not decorative but essential — vegetation binds soil, reduces erosion, and supports aquatic habitats.

The only lasting solution lies in empowering local institutions. Panchayats, eco-clubs and gram sabhas can be trained and funded to monitor river stretches, report violations and participate in rehabilitation works because the people who live by the rivers are the first to notice changes. If they are made partners, not bystanders, enforcement will improve.

Policy experts believe that outright bans may not be realistic in a growing district where construction demand is rising. The more viable path is to link extraction limits with measurable sediment replenishment, verified by drone-based topographic surveys. Mining revenues could be partly redirected to ecological restoration — repairing eroded banks, desilting ponds, and replanting catchments.

This approach aligns with the Sand Mining Guidelines 2020 issued by the central government, which emphasise transparency, replenishment assessment and public participation.