Nine illegal gravel washing plants removed in M’garh

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Narnaul, February 12

The district administration removed nine illegal gravel (bajri) washing plants spread over 100 acres around Dohaan rivulet in Rambaas village, about 20 km from here, yesterday.

The authorities seized six high-powered electric motors, three diesel engines and other equipment used in mining and washing the gravel.

Workers present at the plants fled after seeing the police. “On a complaint regarding the illegal functioning of gravel washing plants in Rambaas village, the authorities convened an emergency meeting of the district task force and decided to crack down on the plants,” said Rohit Yadav, Mahendragarh City Magistrate.

He said all plants situated adjacent to each other were raided simultaneously. Two JCB machines and a crane were pressed into service. In all, five trucks were used to load the seized machinery. The operation lasted eight hours.

“Besides illegal mining, gravel was washed with groundwater on a large scale in all plants. The plants were drawing electricity illegally,” Yadav said.

He further said the police had been asked to register a criminal case against all plant owners. “It was the second big operation against the mining mafia in the past two months. Earlier, the district authorities had removed 14 illegal gravel washing plants in Nangal Chaudhary,” the City Magistrate said.

Source said illegal mining continued unabated in Nangal Chaudhary in spite of a ban by the state government. The mining mafia has been running several illegal gravel washing plants through unauthorised tubewell and power connections whereas tapping of water is illegal in the region due to being declared ‘dark zone’ on account of depleting groundwater table.

The authorities removed plants after getting the complaints, but the mining mafia again set up the plants at other places in connivance with the mining authorities, the sources said.