📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Subhashish Panigrahi
National
Supreme Court Bans Mining Within 10‑km of Himachal Wetland Without Central Approval
✍️ hindustantimes.com
🗓 05 Aug 2026, 06:18 PM
👁 6
The Supreme Court has prohibited mining activities within a 10‑kilometre radius of a wetland in Himachal Pradesh, ruling that such operations require central government approval.
The Supreme Court of India today issued a ruling that bans all mining operations within a 10‑kilometre radius of a protected wetland in Himachal Pradesh unless the central government grants explicit permission. The decision was made after a petition filed by environmental groups highlighted the ecological importance of the wetland and the potential damage from unregulated mining.
Under the Environment (Protection) Act and the Wetlands Conservation Act, any activity that could adversely affect a wetland requires prior clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Court emphasized that the absence of such clearance renders the mining activities illegal.
The ruling is expected to halt ongoing and planned mining projects in the region, affecting several companies that had secured local permits. Mining operators will now need to seek central approval before proceeding, a process that could take several months.
While the Court did not specify a timeline for the central government’s response, it urged the authorities to expedite the clearance process to balance economic interests with environmental protection.
Under the Environment (Protection) Act and the Wetlands Conservation Act, any activity that could adversely affect a wetland requires prior clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. The Court emphasized that the absence of such clearance renders the mining activities illegal.
The ruling is expected to halt ongoing and planned mining projects in the region, affecting several companies that had secured local permits. Mining operators will now need to seek central approval before proceeding, a process that could take several months.
While the Court did not specify a timeline for the central government’s response, it urged the authorities to expedite the clearance process to balance economic interests with environmental protection.