Firm slapped Rs 9.5 cr notice over illegal mining at 2 Panchkula villages

Ravneet Singh

Panchkula, June 27

The district Mining Department has identified large-scale illegal gravel mining on private land in Kot and Dabkauri villages of Panchkula tehsil and registered an FIR against a mining firm. The department has also issued the firm a notice for payment of Rs 9.50 crore for the losses.

Sources said the mining firm, which held a tender on an adjoining land, violated its contract and exceeded its allocated area by over 8 to 10 acres. The firm dug out over 10 to 12 ft of gravel, they said.

An official said the firm was operating in the area for the past 8 to 10 months.

The action has come days after a team of the Panchkula MC, comprising councillors and officers, was allegedly attacked and misbehaved with by agents of the mining firm during their visit to the area.

Salim Dabkauri, area councillor who was part of the team, said large-scale illegal mining was going on at the site. He said, “The district administration is directly to be blamed for the lapses. Such large-scale mining can be done only with the connivance of officials. The company has been carrying out the illegal activity even after the matter was brought to light following our team’s visit. Villagers had stopped their machines. The machines are still lying there.”

The team would submit a report on the whole matter to the MC, he said.