Deep Nexus: Rs 4.4-crore penalty imposed on six for illegal mining in Yamunanagar district

Shiv Kumar Sharma

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Yamunanagar, November 23

The Mines and Geology Department, Yamunanagar, has imposed a penalty of around Rs 4.40 crore on six persons, who allegedly carried out illegal mining on their two acres of land.

The land owners allegedly excavated their land up to a depth of 42 feet and committed a theft of 1,46,362 tonne raw mining material (a mixture of boulders, gravel and sand).

As per the Mining Department authorities, there is no legal mining quarry in Bahadarpur village of Pratap Nagar block in Yamunanagar district, where illegal mining was carried out.

A joint team of the police and the Mines and Geology Department, Yamunanagar, comprising DSP Narender Khatana, Assistant Mining Engineer Rajesh Sangwan and Mining Inspector Aman Kumar conducted an inspection at Bahadarpur village on November 15.

The team found that some persons had done illegal mining near Western Jamuna Canal (WJC) in the village.

Rajesh Sangwan, Assistant Mining Engineer, Mines and Geology Department, Yamunanagar, said they found that illegal mining was carried out on about two acres. As per the revenue record, the said land belonged to six persons of the village, he added.

“The land owners have committed a theft of 1,46,362 tonne raw mining material by excavating up to a depth of 42 feet,” said Rajesh Sangwan, Assistant Mining Engineer.

He said that a penalty of about Rs 4,39,23,600 had been imposed on the said land owners in connection with the case.

“A penalty of about Rs 4,39,23,600 has been imposed on the said persons. This includes the cost of the minerals (Rs 3,65,90,500) and royalty (Rs 73,18,100),” said Rajesh Sangwan. “Mining has been carried out in violation of the Mining Act, 1957, and orders of the National Green Tribunal,” said Rajesh Sangwan.

On the complaint of Mining Inspector Aman, a case was registered against six persons under Section 379 of the IPC and Section 21(1) of Mines and Minerals (Regulation of Development) Act, 1957, at the Pratap Nagar police station on November 19.

Excavation up to 42 ft

• The land owners allegedly excavated their two acres up to a depth of 42 feet and excavated 1,46,362 tonne raw mining material
• There is no legal mining quarry in Bahadarpur village where the mining activity was carried out