June 2026: Mining Destabilizing Himalayan Rivers, Infrastructures in HP, UKD

June 21, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Damaged bridge on Malan river in Kotdwar, Uttarakhand in July 2023. Source: Amar Ujala)

Unscientific mining of riverbed minerals has emerged as a major geomorphic and disaster risk driver in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh as per reports from past few years. Recent studies sharing examples of Ganga and Gaula rivers reveal broader pattern of how excessive riverbed extraction have been changing the very shape and behaviour of Himalayan rivers. The studies find that such mining is resulting in deepening of riverbeds, narrowing down of water channel thus disturbing the natural balance of riverbed minerals.

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Sand Mining

June 2026: Impact of Mining on River Infrastructures in Punjab, Haryana

June 19, 2026June 19, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: The flood protection work around the pillars of already mining threatened Agampur bridge over the Sutlej river in Ropar district was damaged following discharges from Bhakra dam on June 15, 2026 night. Source: The Tribune)

This report attempts to document the impact of excessive mining activities on river infrastructure in Punjab and Haryana between 2023 and 2026. Our previous nationwide analysis on the subject can be seen here for 2023 and 2022.

Based on the available reports, at least three bridges have been impacted by riverbed mining operations in Punjab during past three years. This includes the Algran bridge on Swan river, which suffered severe damage during the 2023 floods. The bridge has remained shut since Dec. 2023 affecting connectivity for scores of villages.

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Sand Mining

2025: Riverbed Mining, Encroachment Damages Four Bridges in J&K

June 9, 2026June 9, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Portion of Logate Morh bridge on the Jammu-Pathankot NH gets damaged in Aug 2025 due to overflowing of Sahar Khad following heavy rainfall in Kathua. Source: The Tribune/ Credit: PTI)

At least 4 bridges across Jammu & Kashmir have suffered partial damages or complete collapse during 2025 underlining the growing threat of excessive riverbed mining & encroachment to bridges & river infrastructure. 3 of these incidents including washing out of part of approach road near the 4^th Tawi bridge in Jammu, Keerian Gadiyal bridge on Ravi river and Logate Morh Bridge on Sahar Khad both in Kathua district occurred during severe deluge in Aug 2025. The Chandura bridge on Doodh Ganga river in Budgam was declared unsafe in Dec 2025.

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Sand Mining

Oct 2025: 12 Drowned in Sand Mine Pit in Utangan river, Uttar Pradesh

October 19, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Search operation going on in Utangan river Agra to recover the bodies of victims)

In the latest example of how illegal sand mine pits are proving to be a death trap across the country; 12 people have lost their lives after falling in deep sand mine pit in Utangan river in Agra district. The incident occurred when 13 young and adult villagers entered the river and suddenly fell into the cavity around 1 pm Oct 2 on Dussehra near Dungarwala village under Khairagarh tehsil.

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Sand Mining

Odisha Lawyer Sankar Prasad Pani Interview: Citizen Monitoring Key to Improve Riverbed Mining Governance

May 9, 2025May 9, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Lawyer Sankar Prasad Pani. Source: Facebook)

Advocate Sankar Prasad Pani is among some of the finest environmental lawyers in Odisha with knowledge about the effective legal remedies for addressing the adverse impacts of unsustainable and illegal riverbed mining. Over the past decade, Sankar Pani has argued in more than 50 cases in the eastern bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The lawyer aims to bring transparency and improve governance in riverbed mining operations in Odisha and has secured remarkable decisions in some of the cases in 2024. In January 2025, the tribunal prohibited sand excavation in Mayurbhanj district following Pani’s intervention. In this interview with the lawyer Sankar Pani, Bhim Singh Rawat of SANDRP focuses on the basics of legal mechanisms and impact as well as limitations of available legal tools concerning the governance of finite natural resource like sand.

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Sand Mining · Yamuna River

Advocate Waryam Singh Interview: मशीनी खनन से हो रही यमुना बर्बाद

April 20, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Screnshot of Haryana 24 News exclusive report on illegal mechanized sand mining in Yamuna river at Gumthala ghat near Yamuna Nagar-Karnal border of Haryana in May. 2024.)

हरियाणा राज्य के करनाल और यमुनानगर जिलों में वरयाम सिंह एक जाना-माना नाम है। आप पेशे से जिला न्यायालय और पंजाब एवं हरियाणा उच्च न्यायालय में अधिवक्ता हैं। आप यमुना नदी के किनारे स्थित गुमथला गांव में रहते हैं जहाँ आपके प्रयासों से इंक़लाब मंदिर स्थापित है जो देश के स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों को समर्पित है और राज्यस्तर पर प्रसिद्ध है। क्षेत्र में विकास कार्यों में पारदर्शिता एवं सरकारी विभागों के कार्यों में सुधार लाने के लिए आपने हरियाणा एंटी करप्शन सोसाइटी की स्थापना भी की है और आप इन उद्देश्यों के लिए जन सूचना अधिकार कानून का बखूबी इस्तेमाल करते हैं।

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Sand Mining

Unsustainable sand mining in Kashmir Rivers: Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat Interview

April 4, 2025August 28, 2025 SANDRP1 Comment

(Feature Image: Taken from a report titled “Mining in Nallah Romeshi: DMO Pulwama submits report” by Rising Kashmir, 04 Dec. 2024)

When it comes to environmental issues in Kashmir, the Srinagar based Dr. Raja Muzaffar Bhat dons many hats. He is an independent researcher, often tracking river courses, glacier zones and forest lands to gain firsthand insight into the unfolding impact of changing climate, land use on water sources, rivers and people. He is a writer with clear thoughts articulating concerns over ongoing environmental degradation in the region.

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Sand Mining

Indian People’s Fight Against Destructive Riverbed Mining

March 14, 2025March 14, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

Since 1997, March 14 has been observed as an International Day of Action for Rivers across the world. This year the 29^th event on the topic will be celebrated with the theme ‘Our Rivers, Our Future’. Marking the day, SANDRP through this account highlights the exemplary work being done by activists and organizations in protecting the rivers from destructive riverbed mining practices in India.

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Sand Mining

Uttar Pradesh Yamuna Aug 2024: NGT Com Finds Sand Mining Rules Violated

August 24, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Feb. 2024 screengrab of a video clip shows instream mechanized sand mining going on in Yamuna river during night hours at Mandawar village in Kairana tehsil of Shamli, UP)

A joint committee formed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Delhi has found gross violations of several rules in a sand mining project on Yamuna river in Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh. The joint committee was formed by principal bench on NGT comprising Justice Prakash Shrivastava, Chairperson, Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi and Justice Dr. A. Senthil Vel on May 13, 2024, to ascertain the correct factual position through ground visit while hearing a petition filed by local resident Farukh Chouhan.

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Sand Mining

May-June 2024: Sand Mafias Mowed Three Policemen to Death

June 30, 2024 SANDRPLeave a comment

Three policemen have lost their lives in three different incidents related to illegal sand mining activities in May-June 2024. In the first incident a policeman Rohit Kumar Pancholi was killed at night on June 8 in Uttar Pradesh. The 24-year-old Constable was trying to stop a tractor-trolley involved in illegal sand mining in Nagla Chandan area of Farrukhabad district.

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