Acting on the Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul’s direction to the districts to take measures against illegal mining activities, drives are being launched to confiscate vehicles and slap penalties on the violators. Action started on Friday and they continued on Saturday too.
Dehradun district magistrate Ravinath Raman had directed sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) to conduct special drives against illegal mining activities in riverbeds under their jurisdictional limits.
In Dehradun, the drive against illegal mining activities continued on the second day at various riverbed areas of the district on Saturday. Raman said that one tractor was seized in Rishikesh after it was caught lifting minerals collected illegally from the riverbeds.
A penalty of Rs 51, 200 was slapped on violators, he added. In Doiwala, three tractors were seized and Rs 2.31 lakh was imposed as penalty on them. In Vikasnagar Tehsil, one dumper was sized as it was caught lifting minerals illegally and Rs 1.08 lakh was imposed as penalty on them.
On the first day of the drive on Friday, in Kalsi block, three trucks and one dumper was seized and a penalty of around Rs 2.30 lakh was slapped on illegal mining operators. In Vikasnagar Tehsil, one JCB and two tractors were caught lifting minerals illegally and Rs three lakh was imposed as penalty on them.
A total of 12 vehicles was seized and around Rs 10 lakh was slapped as penalty on them in two days’ drive against illegal mining, it is learnt.