Rocky road ahead for illegal crushers, screening plants in Yamunanagar dist
Several stone crushers and screening plants are allegedly being operated illegally in different parts of Yamunanagar district. The Mines and Geology Department, Yamunanagar, has identified 13 such stone crushers and screening plants.
The owners of these units are facing FIRs in connection with their alleged involvement in illegal mining activities.
Not only did the operators of these units fail to deposit fines imposed by the Mines and Geology Department for promoting illegal mining and the illegal transportation of mining minerals in the district, they have also not stopped operations at their plants. Now, Deputy Commissioner Parth Gupta has written a letter to Mines and Geology Director-General K Makrand Pandurang for the cancellation of licences of these units.
How did the units violate norms?
The owners of these 13 units were allegedly found indulging in illegal mining activities, including the illegal excavation and transportation of mining minerals. The department got separate FIRs lodged against them at the police stations concerned. The authorities of the department also imposed fines on these units in connection with illegal mining, but the owners failed to deposit the fines.
What prompted action against the units?
Deputy Commissioner Parth Gupta has been making serious efforts to stop illegal mining, and crack down on the mining mafia in the district. In a meeting of the District Level Task Force Committee held in Yamunanagar recently, the Deputy Commissioner asked the District Mining Officer to identify units operating illegally in the district. After a screening, the officer handed over a list of 13 stone crushers and screening plants to the DC. These units were found to be carrying out illegal activities at odd times of the day, damaging the environment and causing losses to the state exchequer.
Which units are under the scanner?
As per departmental records, these units include RR Stone Crusher, Nagli village; RR Stone Crusher-Screening Plant, Nagli village; Vaishnavi Stone Crusher and Screening Plant, Nagli village; Bharat Mata Stone Crusher, Ranipur village; Bharat Mata Stone Crusher and Screening Plant, Ranipur village; Ekta Screening Plant, Asgarpur village; Yuvraj Construction Screening Plant, Asgarpur village; Shri Ram Screening Plant, Nizampur village; SPCC Screening Plant, Dhanaura village; Ridinath Traders, Ranipur village; VPSK Screening Plant, Kanalsi village; AN Transportation, Nagli village; and Hindustan Stone Ora (screening plant), Ranipur village.
What action will be taken?
In the Deputy Commissioner’s letter to the Director-General (Mines and Geology), he has requested the Director General to take cognisance of the matter. He has requested that the licences of these stone crushers and screening plants be terminated. He also called for the issuance of an order to initiate the process of dismantling these units. Gupta said the district administration wanted to take strong and stringent action against these units in a bid to discourage owners of mining units from operating their businesses illegally. District Mining Officer Vinay Sharma said other stone crushers and screening plants operating illegally were being identified, and action would be initiated against these.
