To review the progress report on the preparation made for mining of minerals, slated to resume on October 1, Dehradun district magistrate Ravinath Raman convened a meeting of District Mining Committee in his office on Wednesday during which he gave necessary instructions to the departments concerned to ensure that the process goes on smoothly.
DM said that mining of minerals resuming on October 1, the forest corporation, Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam and forest department officials must complete their part of the action in time. Forest corporation officials were asked to install computerised weighing scale at Song-1, 2 & 3 and Jakhan-1 & 2 rivers and also to install barricades at the entrance. Besides, they were asked to repair the designated roads to be used by the mineral- carrying vehicles. DM also stressed on installing pillars for mining areas and CCTVs as well.
He asked for the completion of the registration of labourers to be involved as per their designated sites while saying that each labourer should carry his identity card and ensure registration of the vehicle to be used for the purpose. He also said that the miners must arrange drinking water for the labourers. He added that the labourers should wear masks and undergo regular medical check- ups to be arranged for them.
DM Raman stressed on the point while giving instructions to the forest development corporation (FDC) and GMVN officials that in case a vehicle is found to carry illegally mined materials after being authorized by some officials the officials concerned will be made accountable.
He instructed them to seize such vehicle drivers’ log books and investigate who is responsible for such authorization. The officials must lodge FIRs against those found responsible promptly.
To check illegal mining, DM asked the SDMs to conduct intensive checking in their jurisdictional limits and asked them to conduct random checking with the help of security teams and mobile teams to be deployed for the purpose. He also instructed them to go for trenching in the areas known for illegal mining.
The movement of the labourers must be watched constantly and the vehicles must be properly checked at the barriers to be erected, DM said, while adding that a combined team comprising forest, police and FDC officials should be constituted for night patrolling.
The meeting was attended among others by ADM Administration Pratap Shah, division forest officer Dehradun PK Patro, DFO Chakrata Diwakar, SDM Doiwala Shalini Negi, SDM VIkasnagar Harigiri, SDM Mussoorie Jitendra Kumar, SDM Rishikesh Kusum Chouhan and officials of FDM and GMVN.