Two stone crushers get notice in Jawali

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, July 14

Notwithstanding the ban imposed by the Mining Department on mining activities in rivers and khuds across the state, the illegal practice is going on in the lower areas of Kangra district. Some stone-crusher owners are indulging in illegal mining in broad daylight with impunity.

The illegal practice came to light on Saturday at Harian village in the Jawali subdivision in Kangra district after a video clip of extraction of minerals from the Dehar khud went viral.

There is a ban on mining activities in the state rivers and khuds from July 1 to September 15. The ban was imposed as per the Sustainable Sand Mining Guidelines, 2016, of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

The objective of the ban intended at replenishing mineral (raw material) stock in the rivers, khuds and other water bodies during the monsoon season stands defeated as the practice is going on in the area.

As per the guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the permission has been granted only for manual digging of 1 metre of a riverbed.

However, JCB and Poclain machines have been wreaking havoc by digging 2 to 5 metres of trenches in Chakki, Chhonchh and Beas rivers for extracting minerals in the lower Kangra region.

The brazenness of the mining mafia and their alleged political connections are posing hurdles in curbing the practice in the areas along the inter-state border.

Nurpur Mining Officer Neeraj Kant said he had taken a suo motu action against two stone crushers — Vipasha Stone Crusher and Jatinder Stone Crusher — of Harian village in Jawali on Saturday.

They have been issued show-cause notices for undertaking unauthorised mining activities beyond the lease area, use of machinery in mining and absence of lease boundary pillars in the leased area.

Stating that the stone-crushers have been given seven days to respond to the show-cause notices, Kant said after the expiry of the period, he would recommend the cancellation of their mining leases to the State Geologist and Mining Department Director.

He said the offenders had committed an offence punishable under Rules 71 and 71A of the HP Minor Minerals (concession) and Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining, Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2015.