Crackdown on mining mafia in Haryana's Nuh

Geetanjali Gayatri

Chandigarh, September 8

The Nuh police have seized three poclain machines and detained a minor driving one of these after launching a crackdown against illegal mining at Bader in the district. The action came hours after The Tribune, in a report published in its September 8 edition, highlighted how illegal mining was underway at the site located in the Aravallis near the Haryana-Rajasthan border.

The National Green Tribunal has declared the ecologically sensitive Aravallis a no-mining zone. Haryana Mining Minister Mool Chand Sharma has also directed the district administration to not only seal the four stone crushers operational in Bader, but also conduct stock-checking.

The police registered a case on the complaint of the local mining officer. The poclain machines (improvised JCBs having chains on wheels) were allegedly quarrying stone for the crushers, which had also provided explosives to the miners for carrying out blasts at the mining site.

“We will get the ownership of these machines verified and nab the guilty. We will not hesitate to shut down the crushers if these are found violating norms,” the minister said.

Nuh SP Varun Singla said two of the three drivers fled after the police reached the spot.

The two spots where mining could have been carried out have been identified. One indicates the use of a hammer-like machine to break the stone while the other hints that explosives may have been used.