Uttarakhand Mining Season 2026-27 to Begin October 1, Zero Tolerance Against Illegal Mining
Focus on River Dredging and Channelization to Reduce Disaster Risks; Instructions to Expedite Tender Process for New Mining Lots
Anti-Mining Task Force to Remain Active Round the Clock; CCTV Surveillance to Be Strengthened in Mining Areas
Radium and Fog Lights Mandatory on Mineral Transport Vehicles; Weighbridges to Be Installed at Stone Crushers
Dehradun, September 29, 2026: The mining season 2026-27 in Dehradun district is set to commence from October 1. To ensure that mining activities are conducted in a smooth, transparent and regulated manner, a meeting of the District Mining Committee was held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of District Magistrate Dr Ashish Chauhan.
During the meeting, the District Magistrate issued strict directions to curb illegal mining, transportation and storage of minerals and ensure compliance with government and court guidelines. He directed officials to maintain close monitoring of mining activities and take effective action against violations.
Emphasis on River Dredging and Channelization
The District Magistrate said scientific river dredging and channelization are important for ensuring public safety in populated areas and reducing the potential impact of disasters.
He directed all Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) to immediately identify disaster-prone areas within their respective jurisdictions and conduct an accurate assessment of the quantity of minor minerals available at these locations.
He further instructed officials to expedite the tendering process for newly identified mining lots and complete all necessary formalities without unnecessary delay.
Anti-Mining Task Force to Remain Active 24×7
To strengthen enforcement against illegal mining and transportation, the District Magistrate directed officials to keep the anti-mining task forces constituted at the tehsil level fully active.
He also instructed authorities to ensure that CCTV cameras installed at mining sites remain operational at all times and are used for regular surveillance.
Special attention, he said, should also be given to the fitness of vehicles operating in mining areas, verification of drivers and the safety and basic facilities of workers engaged in mining activities.
Radium and Fog Lights Made Mandatory
The District Magistrate directed that vehicles engaged in mineral transportation must be equipped with radium reflectors and fog lights. The measure is aimed at improving visibility and reducing the risk of accidents, particularly during night-time operations and periods of low visibility.
He also directed that weighbridges be installed and maintained at stone crushers. Regular inspections of horses, mules and tractor-trolleys involved in mining-related transportation were also ordered.
Focus on Environmental Protection
The meeting also placed emphasis on environmental protection and compliance with social obligations associated with mining activities.
The District Magistrate directed officials to ensure strict compliance with environmental provisions as well as provisions related to the education of children in mining areas.
He also directed that stone crusher operators be required to undertake plantation drives, with a target of at least 1,000 saplings for each operator as part of environmental protection measures.
Mining Currently Operational at 30 Lots; Revenue of ₹31.26 Crore Collected
The District Mining Officer informed the committee that mining leases have been allotted across different categories, including 3 lots on private measured land, 4 through the Forest Development Corporation, 8 through the Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Limited (GMVN), 1 approved through e-tendering, and 14 mining leases to M/s Kailash River Band LLP.
A total mining area of 659.81 hectares has been identified under these lots.
Out of a total of 69 lots, mining operations are currently underway at 30 lots, generating ₹31.26 crore in revenue so far. Necessary action for the remaining lots is currently underway.
The meeting was attended by Additional District Magistrate (Administration) Smrita Parmar, Superintendent of Police Swatantra Singh, SDM Vinod Kumar, SDM Ravindra Jwantha, District Mining Officer Aishwarya Shah, GMVN Manager Kusum Chauhan, CO Vivek Singh, RTO representative Roshni Pant, along with all concerned SDMs who joined virtually, members of the District Mining Committee and other concerned officials.
