Illegal mining goes on unabated in Thural villages
Our Correspondent
Palampur, April 30
Illegal mining and quarrying is going on unchecked in Dhook, Dhaniara, Lahar and Umri areas in Thural.
Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the government had auctioned two sites in Dhook and Dhaniara in January 2019, but no mining lease has been granted till date. However, in the absence of any check from the mining authorities, the two sites have become the centre of illegal mining. The government is losing royalty in worth lakhs of rupees daily. Hundreds of tractor-trailers, tempos can be seen lifting material from the areas situated on the bank of the Neugal.
Illegal mining has not only created environmental imbalance, but also caused a huge loss to the state exchequer. It has resulted in flash floods, deforestation and landslides.
It has also posed a serious threat to the existence of power substations, transmission lines, irrigation and drinking water supply schemes, local paths, village roads, bridges and cremation grounds.
The issue is already under the scanner in various courts and the National Green Tribunal (NGT), still government agencies have become a mute spectator and allowed the mafia to flourish .
The Aiwa, the Binwa, the Baner, the Mol and the Neugal have turned into a gold mines for the mafia.
Rajiv Kalia, district mining officer, admitted that though the government had auctioned these points, no lease had been granted. He said he would look into the matter.
