Crackdown on stone crushers in Pathankot

Ravi Dhaliwal

Tribune News Service

Pathankot, March 29

The Pathankot administration, after identifying crushing units operating illegally, has ordered a crackdown.

The noose has been tightened particularly against 42 stone crushers operating without the mandatory clearance of the Punjab Pollution Control Board and the PSPCL. To compound matters, these units are operating in river beds, violating the Punjab and Haryana High Court orders.

“Owners of these units did not have pollution and electricity clearances yet they were operating because they were hand in glove with lower-level officials. They were the ones who had disturbed the already fragile ecological balance of the region,” said an official.

People who have mining licences are elated. With the crackdown on unauthorised crushing units showing results and people no longer getting material from these, a heavy rush can be seen at the legal mining points which include Chak Ram Sahai (Gurdaspur) and Shan points (Madhopur). The owner of Guru Nanak Mines at the Shan point said the drive was paying dividends.

However, despite the clean-up operation, some units are still operational like crushers in Abaadgarh village of Mirthal. “Crusher owners knew how to play cat and mouse with the administration and the police. The mining being done in Abaadgarh is a case in point,” said a police officer.

“We supply material between Rs 135 to Rs 160 per tonne which are the rates decided by the government. However, crusher owners used to supply at a much higher price. Now, this is slowly coming to an end with the administration acting tough against unauthorised mining,” said a businessman who has mining rights.

Pathankot Deputy Commissioner (DC) Neelima said action had been initiated against 15 out of 42 crushers. “We are taking action against others too after verifying the details,” she said.

Balwinder Singh, Mining Officer, Pathankot, said 10 committees had been formed which had raided illegal points and stopped mining at Beria, Keeria and Narot (both on the Ravi river), Harial and Mirthal (on the Chakki river) and Anear (on the Beas).