Rampant illegal mining leading to depletion of green cover in Sullah

Palampur August 27

The Sullah area of Palampur subdivision has been facing serious environmental threats as the green cover in the region is reducing day by day due to the rampant mining activity in a 25-km stretch of the Neugal river between Paror and Thural. Neugal is one of the major tributaries of the Beas, originating from Dhauladhar hills. The river is also called the lifeline of the people of Sullah as it supplies water for drinking and irrigation purposes, and a major part of it flows through the area.

According to Seema Devi, pradhan of Batthan panchayat, even forest land has not been spared by the mafia, leading to depletion of the green cover. The brazen quarrying of sand and boulders in the river has gone unchecked in many villages, in gross violation of the mining policy of the state government. The mining mafia, with its tractors, tippers and JCB machines, is active round the clock. The activity is stopped for a day or two after the police or Mining Department swings into action and issues challans. However, it is again resumed after a while.

Paror, Kasina Mandir, Pannapar, Thural, Batthan, Dheera Naun and Bair Ghatta are the worst-affected areas, where illegal mining and quarrying can be seen taking place in broad daylight.

The mafia has not even spared the river’s embankments. The villagers are upset with the government for not taking strict action against the miscreants.

A number of youths from Thural, Naun, Sedu and Dirhar, which are the hotspots for illegal mining, have formed committees to keep an eye on the practice.

They had earlier forced the departments to dismantle roads constructed by the mafia through forestlands leading to riverbeds. A local told The Tribune that despite having complained to the police several times, no action has been taken.

Seema Devi, pradhan of Batthan panchayat, said earlier, the offenders were being dealt with strictly by the police, who had also booked them under the Section 379 of the IPC for committing theft of government property. In many cases, tractors and tippers used in quarrying had been impounded, and heavy penalties were imposed on the violators. However, this practice has been abandoned for a year, leading to more violations. “The entire Sullah area is witnessing environmental degradation; deep trenches can be seen in the river, which has gone dry, illegal mining is rampant and even forest lands have not been spared,” she said.

Illegal mining in the area has also become a law and order problem for the police. Last week, an up-pradhan of the Batthan panchayat was attacked by the mafia. Till date, the police have only arrested one person. Though the residents of the area had staged a dharna and also gheroed the police post at Thural, the police failed to take necessary action in the matter.

While talking to The Tribune, Sullah MLA Vipin Parmar said he had approached the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of Kangra in this regard, but no action was taken. He said the practice of illegal mining took place in broad daylight, adding that over the past one year, the mafia had flourished in Sullah as they were being protected by local Congress leaders.