Firms misuse permits, issue fake eRawanas in Yamunanagar district

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Yamunanagar, March 6

Three short-term permits (STPs) were illegally generated on the Haryana Mines and Geology Information System (HMGIS), a portal of the Mines and Geology Department, Yamunanagar, in the name of two firms, reportedly associated with construction work. This was allegedly done to issue fake eRawanas to the screening plants and stone crushers to carry out the business of illegal mining.

When the matter came to the notice of the Mining Department, they informed the higher authorities of the department and got an FIR lodged in connection with a case of misuse of STPs and HMGIS portal.

As per available information, the details of the permit location shown in these STPs are at Dhanaura village, falling under Bilaspur police station, and issue for mineral excavation of 70,000 metric tonnes of boulder, gravel and sand from February 1 to 25, 2024.

Sources said the department had detected that some fake eRawanas were issued to a screening plant of Yamunanagar using those STPs. The department was making efforts to find more cases of fake eRawanas issued using those STPs. “I think these STPs have either been prepared by hacking the HMGIS portal, or made by someone with the connivance of the employees of the department,” said a source.

Sources added that illegal eRawanas were being bought to convert the minerals allegedly received through illegal mining into genuine minerals. The Mining Department has detected several such cases in the district in the past as well.

“A case was registered in connection with the illegal use of STPs at Bilaspur police station on March 5. Besides, the case has been brought to the notice of the higher authorities of the department. We have also started a probe in the case,” Mining Inspector Rohit Singh said.