Roads to illegal mining sites dismantled

Our Correspondent

Palampur, April 20

The Forest Department, in the Baijnath sub-division, continued the crackdown against mining mafia on the second day today. The department dismantled illegal roads constructed by mining mafia on the forestland leading to illegal mining sites on the riverbeds of Binwa, Bhatwali and other khuds near Baijnath, 20 km from here.

JCB machines were pressed into service by the Forest Department to dismantle the roads. A senior official of the Forest Department supervised the operation.

Earlier various NGOs working for the protection of environment had protested against illegal mining in Binwa and other rivers of Baijnath that had damaged local paths, electric installations, water channels, roads and cremation grounds. A video of mining in the river had also gone viral on social media platforms.

A senior official of the Forest Department stated that they would not allow the use of forestland for illegal purposes. He said the mining mafia had played havoc with nature and destroyed the green spaces in the area. The mining mafia had dug deep trenches in the forest land to extract sand and stones. The official also sought the help of the police and the Mining Department to deal with the mining mafia which has posed a threat to public property. He added that the crackdown against the mining mafia would continue.

Meanwhile, residents of Baijnath and Paprola welcomed the action. They said illegal mining not only resulting in environmental degradation in the area, but was also causing revenue loss to the state exchequer every year, as the mined material was being lifted without paying royalty to the government.

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