The State Government facing flak from leaders of various political parties and social organisations regarding the alleged nexus involving police, mining department officers, local politicians and illegal mining operators, the Chief Minister Harish Rawat directed the State Director General of Police, BS Sidhu to launch drives against illegal mining across the State.
Skeptics, however, have questioned as to how around 100 dumpers, tractors and trucks allegedly carrying minerals from the riverbed areas were seized by the police in a span of 24 hours. Things are going on for days and one-day operation is nothing to stamp out the menace, they said.
Had police conducted such drives daily the State might have earned huge revenue from the count of illegal mining, swelling coffers for all-round development of the under-developed State, they added.
Following the direction of State DGP Sidhu, massive police drive against illegal mining activities are being launched in Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital and Dehradun districts over the past few days.
The police teams confiscated mining materials and equipments. They confiscated 82 dumpers, 20 tractor trolleys, nine trucks, five JCBs and one Pokeland vehicles. The teams seized four stone-crushers and large amounts of illegal mining materials, it is learnt.
The police teams raided several areas including Buggawala, Banjarawala, Bishanpur Kundi and Banganga in Haridwar; Vikanagar, Nawabganj, Yamuna river area, Song river and Doiwala areas in Dehradun and other riverbeds of Udham Singh Nagar and Nainital.
Moreover, IMPVU team conducted surprise inspection of the stone crushers and stocks in Nainital and Udham Singh Nagar districts and seized seven stone crushers and eight dumpers in the process.
DGP Sidhu said that sub-divisional magistrate concerned and mining department officers are supposed to take action against illegal mining activities.
Police have limited power to take action against illegal mining activities. The State Government has recently formed a unit — IMPVU- and its teams are bestowed with some powers to take action against illegal mining activities.
They are conducting raids from time to time. Following the direction of the State Government, we have launched a drive against illegal mining activities and it will continue further in the State, he added.
Recently leaders of Samajwadi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party slammed the state government for protecting illegal mining operators, resulting in rampant illegal mining activities along riverbed areas, especially in the plains and some parts of mountainous parts.
They demanded the Government to check the menace by coming down heavily on the offenders.
Political observers opined that the nexus between police and those running illegal mining is resulting in illegal mining going on unimpeded in Haridwar, Dehradun, Udham Singh Nagar districts and other parts of the State as well.
This became clear when a case against police officer was registered in Pathri police station, Haridwar recently, after his involvement in facilitating mining operators to extricate mining materials from the river beds in violation of laws was found.
Taking serious note of this, IMPVU in-charge DIG/IG Sanjay Gunjyal warned the policemen of stringent action if they are caught facilitating illegal mining operators.