Illegal mining: 16 villages conduct mahapanchayat
Shiv Kumar Sharma
Tribune News Service
Yamunanagar, November 17
Residents of 16 villages of Jathlana area of Yamunanagar district held a mahapanchayat in Gumthala village on Sunday to lodge their protest against the failure of the district administration in curbing illegal mining and overloading in their area.
After holding the mahapanchayat, the residents blocked the Yamunanagar-Karnal road in Gumthala village for more than an hour.
Waryam Singh of Rao village said that the people of Gumthala, Rao, Chaugama, Khukhani, Rajheri, Sandhala, Sandhali, Model Town, Barheri, Jathlana, Lal Chhappar, Majri, Kandrauli, Nakumbh, Praladhpur and Nagli villages participated in the mahapanchayat.
He said that illegal mining was being done and overloaded vehicles were plying in their area with the connivance of officers of the local administration.
He added that they had been raising their voice against those problems for long, but the officers didn’t take any concrete action against the violators.
“Illegal mining is disrupting the ecological system of the area and overloaded vehicles are causing a number of accidents. We have been raising our voice against these problems for long, but in vain. Therefore, we have now held this mahapanchayat on Sunday to make a strategy to protest against these problems,” said Waryam Singh.
He further said that to undertake mining, the mining contractors had constructed makeshift passages across the Yamuna river. It was affecting the natural flow of the river, but the officers of the local administration haven’t taken any concrete action against the violators.
After getting information of the road blockage, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Radaur, Kushal Pal Rana and Executive Engineer (XEN) of Irrigation Department Sher Singh reached the spot.
Former Zila Parishad member Shiv Kumar of Sandhala village said that the DSP and XEN had assured them that the makeshift passages would be removed soon and strict action would be taken against the violators.
“The DSP and XEN have also assured them that they have requested Deputy Commissioner Mukul Kumar to hold a meeting with a delegation of the people of this area on Monday to solve the problems of illegal mining and overloading,” said Shiv Kumar. He said that if their problems are not solved in the near future, they would again hold a mahapanchayat.
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