Help tame mining mafia in Kangra, Modi urged

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, June 16

Several environment groups today appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Dharamsala, to save rivers and rivulets of the Kangra valley from the mining mafia.

KB Ralhan, Subhash Sharma, Ashwani Gautam and Varun Bhuria, all representatives of different environment protection organisations of Kangra, told mediapersons that during a visit to the state three years ago, the Prime Minister had promised to rid Himachal of the mining mafia, which was causing immense revenue losses and spoiling the environment. However in the past four years, the mining mafia had flourished and rivers such as the Beas, Neugal, Baner, Binwa, and Mandh and the Mol khud had been badly affected. Deep trenches made with the help of heavy machinery could be seen on the riverbeds, as illegal mining continues with impunity.

Neugal river a victim

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• In a representation forwarded to the PMO, environment groups have requested the Prime Minister that the Neugal river, which is considered the lifeline of over 100 villages of Palampur, has become a victim of illegal mining
• The river also feeds drinking water and irrigation supply schemes in Palampur and Thural divisions

In a representation forwarded to the PMO, they requested the Prime Minister that the Neugal river, which is considered the lifeline of over 100 villages of the Palampur region, had become a victim of illegal mining. The river also feeds dozens of drinking water and irrigation supply schemes in Palampur and Thural divisions of the Irrigation and Public Health Department. Palampur, Maranda, Bhawarna, Sulaha, and Daroh areas also get drinking water from the Neugal.

“Large-scale illegal mining going on below the Paror bridge up to Bair Ghatta is a matter of concern. To date, the state agencies have not been able to check illegal mining, which causes huge revenue losses to the state exchequer and damages the environment,” they added.