HC ban, but no end to mining in Bhiwani

Deepender Deswal 

Tribune News Service

Tosham (Bhiwani), December 12

Clandestine removal of minerals stocked at locations adjoining the Dadam mining area continues despite the November 22 orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court banning the removal of resources till further orders.

The Tribune team spotted several dumper trucks/cranes plying amid the huge piles of minerals excavated from the Dadam mine region. Locals revealed that dumper trucks carrying stones from stocked piles to crushers continued to operate in the area. At least two dumper trucks were seen moving up to a 150-foot pile of minerals near the Pinjokara turn.

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The manager of the stone crusher claimed they had stocked the mineral after purchasing it from the mining contractor in Dadam before the HC imposed the ban. He said: “We can take stone from this pile for crushing as this material is owned by us and the HC ban doesn’t apply to the purchased material.”

The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HSIIDC) has been awarded the mining contract in Khanak mines located in the vicinity of Dadam mining zone where the HC has imposed a ban in view of gross violations by the contractor. “The HSIIDC won’t be able to fulfil the demand of the stone crushing units as it’s very slow in mining,” he said.

A local revealed that the mining contractor had excavated excessive mineral from the Dadam zone just before the ban. “Huge stocks of mineral have been piled up over several acres of land at five-six spots. The stone crushers claim they have purchased this material from the contractor, which is not true. The mining contractor is hand in glove with the stone crusher,” he claimed. Mining Office Bhupinder Singh refused comment, while Bhiwani DC and SSP did not take calls.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who was in Bhiwani today, was handed over complaints by two individuals alleging illegal mining in the district.