Machinery engaged in illegal mining seized

NURPUR, FEBRUARY 3

In a midnight operation, Kangra police’s narcotic-cum-mining prevention and detection cell team along with pradhan of Tatawali gram panchayat conducted a raid in mand area under the jurisdiction of Fatehpur police station last night. The team spotted a porcelain excavator and a tipper (number PB07AL8279) indulging in illegal mining on the Beas riverbank at Rehatpur.

The team confiscated a porcelain, a tipper and a trailer on the spot but on seeing the police team, the culprits engaged in the illegal activity fled under the cover of darkness. As per information, the seized machinery and vehicles belong to the owner of a stone crusher operating in the area bordering Punjab near Mukerian.

The JCBs, porcelain and other excavation machines of the stone crushers reach the Beas riverbed in mand area under Himachal Pradesh jurisdiction at night and after extracting raw material from the river transport the same to Punjab where stone crushers have been set up. The heavy excavation machinery has been banned by the government and state High Court for use in mining activities.

The hill state’s minerals have been stolen and smuggled into Punjab with impunity for the past some time causing huge financial loss to the state exchequer. Resentment is brewing among local farmers and environmentalists against illegal mining activities in Nurpur and Indora sub division bordering Punjab.

Superintendent of Police, Kangra, Khushal Sharma told The Tribune that after preliminary investigations the police had identified the two accused who had fled leaving behind the excavation machinery on the spot. He said that a theft case under section 379 of the IPC and section 21 of Mines and Mineral Act -1957 has been registered. The police would identify the owners of the stone crusher whose excavation machinery had been engaged in illegal mining activities in the Beas river in mand area. Further investigation was underway, he said.