Illegal mining in Paonta Sahib: 3 rock buckets fitted in tractors confiscated

Tribune News Service

Solan, March 16

A unique modus operandi is being adopted by tractor-trailer operators to indulge in illegal mining on the Yamuna riverbed in Paonta Sahib subdivision. Tractor-trailers fitted with rock bucket is being used to dig up quarry.

Paonta Sahib DSP Ramakant Thakur said, “The Purruwala police seized three such rock buckets fitted in the tractor-trailers at Nabada village last evening. Since the use of excavation machines is banned for mining, these buckets fitted in front of the tractor help in digging up the quarry material. It is, however, a violation of the Motor Vehicles Act.”

The vehicle owners have been booked under the MV Act and a fine of Rs 5,000 has been imposed on each vehicle.

Officials said tractors often purchased for agriculture were misused for illegal mining. Since the Yamuna riverbed has little water these days, the tractors are driven away within no time from the porous border whenever the police raid these places. The DSP said drone surveillance was also being done to zero in on the miscreants involved in the illegal activity.

#illegal mining #paonta sahib #solan