Palampur: Road rebuilt by mining mafia to Neugal river dismantled

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, June 11

Officials of the Forest Department and police today dismantled a road reconstructed by the mining mafia leading to illegal mining site in the Neugal river near Thural, 30 km from here. This road was earlier dismantled last month by the police and the Forest Department but was rebuilt.

The Tribune had carried a news report in these columns, highlighting reconstruction of unauthorised road and the large-scale illegal mining going on in the Neugal. Taking cognizance of the news report, Kangra Superintendent of Police Shalini Agnihotri and Divisional Forest Officer, Palampur, Nitin Patil swung into action and directed staff to dismantle the roads without any delay.

The Forest Department and police officials reached the spot and dug deep trenches on the road with the help of JCB machines, preventing movement of trucks, tippers and trailers to the river bed. The SP and the DFO also issued a warning to the mining mafia to refrain from illegal activities or face action under the IPC and the environmental laws.

There was no resistance from the mining mafia and the officials were able to accomplish the task with the help of police and local residents.

The residents of Thural area had earlier protested against the illegal mining going on in the Neugal near Naun and Umri villages. They had approached the SP and the DFO in this regard, alleging that the mining was damaging paths used by them, electric installations, water channels, roads and cremation grounds.

Local youth, the locals had launched a campaign against illegal mining in the Neugal. They welcomed the Mining and Police Department’s step to dismantle the road. They said illegal mining was not only resulting in large-scale environmental degradation in Thural area but it was also causing loss to the state exchequer worth lakhs daily as the mined material was being lifted without paying royalty to the state government.