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Tribune Impact
Police crackdown on illegal miners
Lalit Mohan
Tribune News Service

Gurdaspur, September 30
The police today initiated action against those involved in illegal mining along
River Chaki in this district. The police took action following the publication of a news report regarding illegal mining in The Tribune today.

The SSP, Mr Narinder Bhargav, said those involved in illegal mining were violating the prohibitory orders issued by the District Magistrate under Section 144, CrPC, following on complaints from the Army and the national highway authorities.

Farmers had also been complaining that fertile land was being washed away by the changing course of the river due to mining along the banks.

Though the police has taken action against illegal miners, the mining was continuing on both sides of the border of Punjab and Himachal.

The Himachal High Court had banned stone crushers in the state. The ban was lifted only after an affidavit was filed in the high court by the state Pollution Control Board.

However, the position has once again returned to square one. Stone-crusher owners have dug more than 100-ft trenches along the Air Force station and the upcoming civil airport of Pathankot. Due to the mining in the said area, just about a 10-ft earth wall, which was the road to the airport, remained between the river and the Air Force station.

The Air Force authorities in a complaint to the Deputy Commissioner have alleged that if the river gets flooded, the water might enter the station.

The SSP said a joint operation with the Himachal police might also be conducted in the near future to check mining. A report would also be sent to the mining and pollution control board authorities, he said.

The police has arrested some persons under Section 188, CrPC, and had confiscated JCB machines used for mining.