Himachal cops told not to allow illegal mining

Palampur May 3

Officials of the state government have visited the illegal mining sites in the Neugal where a bridge on the river near Sadwan (Thural ) has been damaged.

The Tribune carried a news item in these columns which put the entire official machinery on tenterhooks.

Officials of the PWD, forest, mining and police reached the spot and reviewed the situation. They also visited areas where the mining mafia had constructed illegal roads beneath the bridge to reach the riverbed. Later, the SDM, Dheera, also reached the spot with his team and directed the police not to allow mining activities in the river, particularly near the bridge.

The large-scale unscientific mining has posed a threat to the bridge. The illegal mining with the help of a JCB machine and Poklane has eroded the foundation of the bridge and damaged the outer protection wall of one of the pillars.

However, though the mining activities in the river have come to a standstill, illegal roads constructed to reach the riverbed are yet to be dismantled.