CM hints at tougher anti-mining law

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, January 15

The state government was contemplating making tougher law for containing illegal mining that was rampant in borders areas of Kangra and Una district of Himachal. An indication to this affect was given by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh during his ongoing winter sojourn in Kangra district.

While addressing a public rally in Nurpur area of Kangra, the Chief Minister said that the state government would make mining laws in the state tougher.

The Kangra police had been demanding tougher laws to counter illegal mining. SP Kangra Sanjeev Gandhi had carried out a campaign against illegal mining along border areas of the district along Pathankot district of Punjab. JCB machines and tippers being used in illegal mining were confiscated during the campaign.

However, under the existing Mines and Minerals Act of Himachal, vehicles and machines impounded for illegal mining can be released after paying a maximum fine of Rs 25,000.

The amount is negligible vis-a-vis the profits accruing from illegal mining. A police official involved in campaign against illegal mining, while talking to The Tribune, said on the condition of anonymity that Himachal police had limited resources. Whole team of officials and vehicles from a particular area had to be diverted to carry out operations against illegal miners who operate in remote areas in rivers along the borders of the district.

The police confiscate machines and tippers involved in illegal mining after a lot of efforts. However, the machinery has to be released within days due to lacunae in the law. The released machinery then is again put back into illegal mining operations. The police lack the resources to put its entire time to check illegal mining only, he said.

The SP Kangra had written to the state government to convert mining offence under the Mining Act as a cognizable offence under which police can take direct action against those involved in illegal mining. At present, the offence of illegal mining of non-cognizable in which the police had to act through mining officer before prosecuting those involved in illegal mining.

The police had also demanded that just like the Forest Act the vehicles seized under the Mining Act should only be released through judicial courts and not after imposition of minor fines. With the Chief Minister indicating that the state might make laws against mining stricter it seems that the demand of police is likely to be accepted.

Sources here said the mechanical excavation of mines and minerals from riverbeds in which lakhs of tonnes of material is taken out in days causes loss of revenue worth crores to the state government.