Illegal gravel washing plants caused huge losses: Admn

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Narnaul, February 15

The mining mafia caused a loss of several crores to the state exchequer, as over 100 trucks were used to ferry gravel from nine illegal gravel (bajri) washing plants, removed from Rambaas village two days ago.

The fact came to fore during the preliminary investigation of the district administrative officials after demolishing the gravel washing plants.

“As per information from the villagers, the gravel washing plants were being run since the last 20 days and it cost the state exchequer over Rs 5 crore. Over 100 trucks ferried the gravel from the plants, earning over Rs 25 lakh each day,” claimed an administrative officer from Mahendragarh.

Notably, the district authorities had removed nine illegal gravel washing plants spread over 100 acres around Dohaan rivulet in Rambaas village last Thursday and seized six high-powered electric motors, three diesel engines, along with machinery used for mining and washing gravel.

“Out of the nine plants, four were sealed on December 6, 2014, but the plant owners started mining and washing the gravel all over again in connivance with the mining authorities at the same site,” said the officer.

He added 12 such plants (six each in Rambaas and Doostpur villages) were sealed on December 6. He maintained, “Since we did not take the machinery in custody on December 6, the plant owners started the illegal trade again.”

Source say illegal mining continues unabated in Mahendragarh despite a ban by the state government. The mining mafia has been running several illegal gravel washing plants at various villages through unauthorised tubewell and power connections whereas tapping of water is illegal in Nangal Choudhary as it has been declared a ‘dark zone’ on account of depleting ground water table.