Take strict action against illegal mining: Industries Minister

Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said the state government has set up check posts at various places to check illegal mining and transportation of minerals. While presiding over a meeting to review issues related to mining activities in the state here today, he said the illegal trade was still persisting as violators were bypassing these check posts through alternate routes, which required to be plugged.

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The minister directed the officers to take stringent action against those involved in illegal mining, which was more rampant in Nalagarh, Una, Nurpur and Paonta Sahib. “The demand for raw material required for various developmental works such as construction of road and other domestic needs was increasing constantly, thus it was necessary that scientific and proper exploitation of new resources was done by strict implementation of mining rules,” he said.

He directed the mining officers to monitor the mining sites on regular intervals, and said permission should be given for lease of more mines to avoid illegal mining and to generate revenue. “The mining wing of the Industries Department was an enforcement agency to implement the laws related to mining and should be strengthened with adequate manpower, vehicles, etc,” he said, directing officers to send a detailed proposal regarding reforms needed for this purpose. He issued directions to expedite the auction of limestone mines in Arki of district Solan, Sunni of Shimla district and Baroh Sindh of Chamba district.

Additional Chief Secretary, Industries, RD Nazeem assured the minister that effective steps would be taken for checking illegal mining besides ensuring systematic and scientific mining.