Rekha Gupta urges UP CM to curb illegal sand mining in Yamuna

Raising concerns over the risk of flooding caused by weakened embankments of the Yamuna, particularly in areas bordering Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has urged her Uttar Pradesh counterpart, Yogi Adityanath, to intervene and curb the alleged illegal sand mining activities.

According to Gupta, illegal sand mining not only weakens the river’s embankments and increases the risk of floods but also causes significant ecological damage.

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She emphasized that the issue requires a coordinated effort between the two states to effectively control this growing menace.

Gupta has requested the UP Chief Minister to instruct his officials to conduct a joint inter-state demarcation on the issue. She said this would help protect the ecological balance of the region through the combined efforts of both state administrations.

The Delhi Chief Minister also warned that continued illegal mining could pose serious long-term threats to the river. She apprised the UP CM that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has consistently expressed concern over illegal sand mining in the Yamuna.

Gupta further noted that the population living along the Yamuna banks would be severely impacted by changes caused by these unregulated activities.

She also pointed out that the NGT has already emphasized the urgent need for regulatory enforcement and inter-state coordination to address the problem.

Expressing confidence in receiving support from the Uttar Pradesh government, Gupta said she believed both states could work together to find an effective solution.

Significantly, senior officials in the Delhi administration have informed CM Gupta that they are in regular correspondence with their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh, alerting them to the growing crisis. The illegal sand mining, they say, is particularly severe in areas along the shared territorial boundary.

Officials added that the activities, allegedly in violation of environmental norms, include diverting the river’s natural flow and disturbing its bed, causing irreparable damage with potentially disastrous consequences.

ENDS