Illegal mining: Three more tractors seized in Paonta Sahib

Solan, December 17

The Paonta Sahib police today seized three tractor-trailers and issued challans for carrying mining material without the M-form in the Manpur Devra area. A penalty of Rs 29,000 was realised, said DSP Bir Bahadur.

Besides, two tractors were seized from the Yamuna riverbed at Bhuppur, and Paonta Sahib this morning by a team led by the DSP and the Paonta Sahib SHO under the Mining Act.

The police have impounded 13 tractors in the past three days. The DC, additional DC, SDM, executive magistrates, SP, Additional SPs, DSPs, Conservator of Forests, Divisional Forest Officers, Assistant Conservators of Forests, Range Forest Officers, general manager of District Industries Centre and mining officers are authorised to book such offenders.

As mining is restricted in the Dehradun belt, quarry material from riverbeds in Paonta Sahib caters to the needs of construction activities there. “The scale of mining is so immense that one has to battle traffic jams while travelling on the Paonta Sahib-Vikas Nagar route after 9 pm as there is an influx of tractor-trailers on the highway,” said Hari Om, a commuter.—TNS