Ravi Dhaliwal
Pathankot, July 23
Late night miners having political links are active at some vantage points on the Ravi in this mining-rich district.
This development is against the law as the state government has banned mining from July 1 to September 30 following the onset of the rainy season.
We have all info of raids
The DC might have formed squads, but don’t expect any action. We get to know in advance about such raids and consequently we move to some other spot. A miner
Moles in administration
These people have moles in the administration. These moles inform the miners in advance following which a cat and mouse game is played out near the rivers. An official
Reports have been regularly surfacing that some well-connected people are engaged in late night excavation of sand and gravel. Deputy Commissioner Harbir Singh claimed that he had received some inputs of mining being done at some points on the Ravi following which he asked previous SSP Arun Saini to check out things.
“I have formed teams, which are on the look-out for such residents who want to make a quick buck by bringing in JCBs and other excavation material at the dead of the night,” said the DC.
Sources in the Mining Department confirm the worst. They claim despite the best efforts of the government, unauthorised digging will go on because these people have exceptionally strong links. “The DC might have formed squads, which are on the prowl at night. However, do not expect any action. We get to know in advance about such raids and consequently we move to some other spot,” said a miner engaged in this nocturnal activity. The lure of the lucre is too strong for us to stop,” he added.
Sources say it is a multi-crore business going on. “These people have moles in the administration. These moles inform the miners in advance following which a cat and mouse game is played out near the rivers,” said an official. Experts claim even if the government now comes out with some drastic steps, enough damage has already been done to the ecological system.
Before the monsoon ban came into force, illegal mining had received a setback when former Bhoa Congress MLA Joginder Pal’s quarry was raided and equipment seized. Another slowdown was witnessed on April 17, when the state government posted Krishan Kumar as Principal Secretary (Mines and Geology).
There was a time when sand and gravel used to be taken out from under the railway bridge between Madhopur and Lakhanpur, which is a restricted area. The Jammu-Pathankot-New Delhi train passes over this bridge. Some strict action by government officials meant that the activity has now stopped. Experts claim miners are always a step ahead of the government.
Illegal mining first started in Pathankot in 2007. Thereafter, scores of influential people entered the fray and pocketed crores of rupees. The politician-miner-bureaucrat-policeman equation used to thrive.
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