Power supply to stone crushing unit snapped

Our Correspondent

Nurpur, March 23

Following the recommendation of the mining department, the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board Ltd. (HPSEBL) today disconnected the power supply of Shivam Stone Crusher at Mand Bogharwan in Indora subdivision for allegedly indulging in illegal mining activities beyond the mining lease area. The owner of the unit had been granted mining lease besides requisite permission by the state government.

The Mining Officer (MO), Nurpur, had served 15 days’ notice to the owner on February 17, directing him to suspend operations immediately. In the notice, the crusher owner was accused of carrying out mechanical mining with chain-mounted excavators beyond his legalised mining lease, absence of lease boundary pillars in the lease area, non-payment of royalty to the state exchequer and keeping unaccounted stock of finished minerals like sand and grit. The mining authorities had served a notice under Rule 71 and 71(A) of HP Minor Minerals Rules-2015.

Neeraj Kant, MO, told The Tribune that the owner of the stone crusher had failed to respond to the department’s notice served on him on February 17 and finally the HPSEBL’s local authorities were told to disconnect the power supply to the unit. He said since the crushing unit had committed the offence for the first time, its power supply would be restored after recovering fine.

The mining department had earlier too recommended disconnection of power supply to two stone crushers last month in Indora and the HPSEBL had snapped power supply on February 3. The department had filed cases and submitted challans for indulging in illegal mining activities against the owners of these stone crushers in a local court. The court had imposed a penalty of Rs 2 lakh each. The power supply was restored after the owners paid the penalty.

(EOM)