Illegal Mining: Ramesh Sets 3-wk Deadline

"The Uttarakhand government has (so far) demonstrated reluctance to take action against illegal mining. We will have no option but to invoke Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act and take action on our own," Ramesh said.

Section 5 of the Act gives the Centre "power to direct the closure, prohibition or regulation of any industry".

The Union Minister, who was here to launch a new green technology, said the Centre has written to the Uttarakhand government asking it to stop the illegal sand mining in the stretches of Ganga river. Read the full report here.

Source: Samay Live.