3 makeshift passages removed from Yamuna

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, November 19

The authorities of Irrigation department damaged three unauthorised makeshift passages constructed on the Yamuna in Jathlana area of Yamunanagar district to undertake mining activities on the river bed.

“Representatives of mining agencies (contractors) constructed three unauthorised makeshift passages in Gumthala, Rao and Nagli villages. We removed those makeshift passages yesterday,” said Sher Singh, Executive Engineer, Hathni Kund Barrage, Division Jagadhri of Irrigation Department.

He said the villagers informed that the representatives of the mining agencies were rebuilding the passages that were removed the previous day.

“Today, I have written a letter to the mining officer of Mines and Geology Department, Yamunanagar, requesting him to take stringent action against the persons who are re-constructing the passages. If the violators don’t stop then we’ll be forced to lodge FIRs against them,” said Singh.

According to information, there are several legal mining sites in Jathlana area of Yamunanagar district, but the mining contractors and mining mafia construct unauthorised makeshift passages across the Yamuna to undertake mining activities.

Sources said such makeshift passages or bundhs could not be constructed across the Yamuna as they created obstruction in the mainstream of the river.