4 mining zones created, but Himachal govt fails to post geologists

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, July 2

To effectively deal with illegal mining in the state, the previous BJP government had created four zones in Himachal Pradesh with their head offices in Shimla, Mandi, Kangra and Solan districts.

AREAS UNDER ZONES

Zone Districts

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Zone 1 Shimla, Chamba and Kinnaur

Zone 2 Una, Kangra and Hamirpur

Zone 3 Sirmaur, Solan and Bilaspur

Zone 4 Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti

However, even after nine months the state government has not posted officers at their zonal headquarters. The zonal heads of Mandi, Kangra and Solan districts are still functioning from Shimla. District Mining Officer Rajiv Kalia says that state geologist Sanjeev Kumar, who is heading the Kangra zone, is still operating from Shimla.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Himachal Pradesh High Court had expressed serious concerns over the rise in illegal mining and environmental degradation in the state. On the directions of the NGT, the government had recently delegated powers to the SDMs to confiscate properties of the persons involved in illegal mining.

The zonal heads have not been transferred despite space constraint in the state capital. The government had vacated the Udyog Bhawan in Shimla, which housed the office of state geologists to set up new benches of the HP High Court. The office of geologists has been shifted to Vikasnagar, where also there is limited space. Each zone headed by a state geologist has a staff of four or five persons. They can be accommodated in government buildings at Solan, Dharamsala and Mandi.

Illegal mining has become a major cause for concern, especially in Kangra, Una and Solan districts. The new arrangement has failed to curb the illegal activity, which is causing a daily loss in lakhs of rupees to the state exchequer, besides resulting in the over exploitation of natural resources.

According to a notification issued by the government, “Zone 1 comprises the districts of Shimla, Chamba and Kinnaur while Zone 2 includes Una, Kangra and Hamirpur districts. Sirmaur, Solan and Bilaspur districts have been placed in Zone 3 while Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti districts have been included in Zone 4.”

NGT concerned over illegal mining

• The NGT and the Himachal Pradesh High Court had expressed serious concerns over the rise in illegal mining and environmental degradation in the state
• On the directions of the NGT, the government had recently delegated powers to the SDMs to confiscate properties of the persons involved in illegal mining
• The zonal heads have not been transferred despite space constraint in the state capital
• Illegal mining has become a major cause for concern, especially in Kangra, Una and Solan districts as the new arrangement has failed to curb the nefarious activity