Illegal mining now non-bailable offence in Kangra

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, September 8

Illegal mining is now a non-bailable offence in Kangra district, the development coming nearly three weeks after a portion of the colonial-era railway bridge over the Chakki rivulet collapsed on August 20 following a flash flood. The mishap was attributed to the mining menace.

Deputy Commissioner Nipun Jindal has ordered that those engaged in illegal mining should be booked for theft of government property, which was a non-bailable offence. The accused earlier were booked under the Mines and Minerals Act and would be let off after paying penalty, which was decided by the authority concerned.

But if the police register an FIR for theft of government property, the accused will be put behind bars and will have to seek bail from court. The first such case was registered yesterday against a person resorting to illegal mining in Indora area of Nurpur in Kangra.

Nurpur (police district) SP Ashok Rattan said the case was lodged under Section 379 of the IPC against a stone crusher owner. The accused was at large, he said.

The Deputy Commissioner has also ordered clear demarcation of land leased out for mining through erection of pillars. All non-registered vehicles used for illegal mining will be sealed and the power connections of all stone crushers functioning without permit or registration will be disconnected.

Jindal has also ordered formation of teams under SDMs to conduct at least three raids in a month to check illegal mining in their areas. He said the action plan would be put in place after September 15 when the complete ban on mining due to monsoon (began on July 1) was lifted.

1st case lodged

• Illegal miners to be booked for theft of government property
• 1st FIR filed against stone crusher owner in Indora
• Land leased for mining to be demarcated through erection of pillars
• Non-registered vehicles used for mining to be sealed and power connections of unregistered crushers to be snapped