Police, mining dept accused of helping mafia in Nurpur

Our Correspondent

Nurpur, February 21

Peeved over the rampant illegal mining activities with the banned heavy earth excavation machinery in Nurpur area bordering Punjab, Rakesh Pathania, local MLA and member of the state BJP working committee, today alleged that it was all going in connivance with local police and the Mining Department.

Addressing a press conference at the Nurpur Press Club Bhavan, he said however the district police administration had succeeded in crushing drug mafia in this border area but mining mafia was still ruining the ecology, agriculture land, drinking and irrigation schemes adjoining the Chakki and Chhonchh rivulets with political patronage.

Taking great exception to contradiction between the statement of the district police and FIRs registered in Indora and Nurpur police stations after the seizure of JCB machines, poclane and tippers while indulging in illegal mining in Chhonch and Chakki khud areas, Pathania on February 12 and 13 said the Kangra SP had said Sction 379 of the IPC relating to theft had been included in the FIRs but after procuring copies of the FIRs no such section was found mentioned in them.

He said only drivers employed by stone crusher owners were being booked by the police but owners actually involved in illegal mining activities were roaming free, which had also put a question mark over the police functioning in the area.

Pathania said the local SDM had declared most of the stone crushers in Nurpur and Indora illegal and closed them by issuing orders of disconnection of electricity supply, even then JCBs and other machinery of these crushers were being used in illegal mining activities round the clock, which reflected a nexus between the local police, mining department and mining mafia. He said he was filing a public interest litigation (PIL) in the state High Court against the failure of the state government to curb the menace of illegal mining in the area.

When contacted Kangra SP Sanjiv Gandhi said he had launched a special drive against illegal mining in the district and for the first time FIRs were being registered in such cases.

Referring to seizures of excavating machinery on February 12 and 13 in the Chhonchh and Chakki khuds, he clarified that he had issued office orders to respective police stations for incorporating Section 379 of the IPC in the FIRs and undertake demarcation of the area from where machinery had been captured by police. He clarified without demarcation theft was not proved.