Tippers carrying gravel, sand stopped near Kakrali village

Satinder Pal Singh

Dera Bassi, November 12

High drama was witnessed near Kakrali village here on Monday when some local residents stopped tippers coming from the Haryana side, which were carrying gravel and sand.

Residents complained that illegal mining was being carried out in Haryana. Tippers and tractor-trailers were using the road for transporting the mining material illegally to crushers in Mubarikpur without any check, they added.

They rued that sand and gravel was being illegally ferried by vehicles and tractor-trailers from Haryana through Kakrali village, later to be sold in the city.

Police officials said they had set up barricades near Kakrali village even at night to check illegal mining and impounded vehicles ferrying sand and gravel into the city from Haryana. “Besides, the routine patrolling we have put special nakas to check the transportation of gravel and sand illegally,” they added.

“We have been able to detect cases as drivers carrying sand and gravel from Haryana could not show bills or receipts of the mining material loaded in their vehicles,” said the police.

However, residents rued that despite the presence of special police barricades and routine patrolling of the road connected with Haryana from the Kakrali side, people continued to ferry sand and gravel illegally.

Action against illegal mining near Kakrali village has not deterred the mafia from continuing its activities despite vehicles, including tractor-trailers and machines, being impounded regularly in the last few months.

Kakrali village residents rued that at the most, drivers of tippers and other machinery were fined in the name of action against the mining mafia while the big fish remained untouched.

The Dera Bassi traffic in charge, Balwinder Singh, said they had challaned five tippers after their drivers failed to show them valid documents.

When contacted the Dera Bassi SDM, Paramjit Singh, said, “A few bills of the material loaded on the vehicle are not appropriate. Therefore, I have directed the Mining Department to verify it.” Action would be taken as per law if any irregularity was found in bills, he added.