21 vehicles impounded for carrying quarry material in Paonta Sahib

In a decisive action to curb violations by vehicles carrying quarry material, the Nahan police impounded 21 overloaded tippers in the Paonta Sahib area during a raid on Thursday.

Led by Sirmaur SP Nishchint Negi, a team of special investigation unit, DSP (headquarters) Ramakant Thakur and posse of sleuths from a battalion, the police cracked the whip on vehicles for various offences.

These heavy vehicles have been directed to transport material from 9 pm by the local administration as these bulky vehicles impede the usual flow of traffic and if stuck they cause huge traffic snarls.

“A majority of the vehicles were found carrying excess quarry material weighing several tonnes more than permissible as per their registration certificate. We took stock of the weight reflected in the weighing bridge installed at the crusher sites from where the material was loaded to check the discrepancy. They will be issued monetary challans for this violation by the competent authority,” said Thakur.

Carrying excess load was a grave risk not only to the roads but also the Yamuna bridge which will be subjected to untimely wear and tear owing to the heavy quarry material transported by these tippers, thus prompting police action.

With several locals and environmentalists such as Naathu Ram Chauhan demanding action against such vehicles for their reckless operations while threatening to file petitions before the national green tribunal, the police acted in a timely manner to address the problems raised by them.

A number of vehicles lacked key documents like expired insurance or lack of mandatory M form that provides record of the mining material and its destination. Even drivers plying some of these vehicles were not authorised hinting towards illegal transportation of the quarry material.

With several road and other infrastructure projects being underway in the vicinity, there was a huge demand for quarry material and in a bid to make a quick buck, the lease owners often indulged in nefarious practices like carrying excess load.