Road leading to illegal mining site at Neugal river near Thural dismantled

Ravinder Sood

PALAMPUR, February 3

The local administration, along with police and Mining Department officials has dismantled a road constructed by the mining mafia leading to an illegal mining site in the Neugal river near Thural, 30 km from here.

The Tribune had carried a news article in these columns recently, highlighting the large-scale illegal mining going on in the Neugal, which had also damaged a bridge on the Palampur-Hamirpur highway.

Protests held against mining

• Residents of Thural area have earlier protested against illegal mining going on in the Neugal near Naun and Umri villages.
• They alleged that the mining was damaging local paths, electric installations, water channels, roads and cremation grounds.

Mining Department and police officials reached the spot and dug deep trenches on the road with the help of JCB machines, stopping the movement of trucks, tippers, and trailers to the river bed. They also issued warnings to the mining mafia to refrain from illegal activities or face action under the IPC and environmental laws.

Earlier, the mining mafia reached the spot in large numbers and tried to disrupt the dismantling of the road. However, with the help of police and local residents, the officials were able to accomplish the task.

Residents of Thural area had earlier protested against illegal mining going on in the Neugal near Naun and Umri villages. They had alleged that the mining was damaging local paths, electric installations, water channels, roads and cremation grounds.

Local youth, Chander Mohan Gautam, Ashwani Rana, Varun Bhuria, Gaurav Gautam, Ashwani Gautam and Surinder Rana have launched a campaign against illegal mining in the Neugal. They welcomed the Mining Department’s step to dismantle the road. They said illegal mining was not only resulting in large-scale environmental degradation in Thural area but it was also causing loss to the state exchequer in lakhs daily as the mined material was being lifted without paying royalty to the state government.

District Mining Officer Rajiv Kalia said the government would not allow illegal mining in Thural. He also appealed to the local residents to cooperate with the authorities.