Illegal mining to fore in Baddi

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Solan, March 20

A case of illegal mining in government land measuring 57.16 bigha has come to light on the Ratta riverbed in the Baddi industrial area.

Though local villagers had been complaining of the activity, the authorities had turned a deaf ear to their complaints. A team comprising an Assistant Geologist, a DSP, the tehsildar and other revenue staff finally inspected the site recently and detected mining.

Assistant Geologist Dinesh Chawdhary said a damage report had been prepared by the staff.

A case under Section 379 of the IPC and Section 21(1) of the Mining Act and Sections 41 and 42 of the Indian Forest Act has been registered by the Baddi police after the receipt of the damage report from the staff.

Locals rued that despite informing the staff about illegal mining, little was being done to address the problem. They also alleged that instead of acting against the wrong-doers, the miners were alerted and tractor-trailers were often seen leaving the sites within minutes of informing the officials.

Since the area lies in the vicinity of Haryana, tractor-trailers carrying illegally mined material slipped through the porous border into Haryana.