Patelnagar Circle Officer Swatantra Kumar conducted drive against illegal mining activities in the Patelnagar area and seized 17 dumpers on Friday.
During inspection, all these dumpers were coming towards the city after crossing Nayagoan post which would have been possible only with ulterior police support or negligence of the policemen concerned. Taking cognisance of this report submitted by Kumar, Dehradun SSP Kewal Khurana removed all the policemen from this police post on Friday. Some time back, Khurana had reverted two constables in Vikasnagar Police Station to police line after they were caught assisting illegal mining operations.
Based on reliable sources, The Pioneer had also reported last month on trucks loaded with illegally quarried river bed material passing through roads near police stations or police posts daily especially in rural parts of the district, but barring a few cases, police station in-charge or Chowki in-charge failed to take action against violators.
This could have been possible only with ulterior police support to the illegal mining operators. Reacting to this, SP (Rural) Mamta Vohra had then outrightly rejected police involvement in such cases and said conducting drives against illegal mining activities are secondary work for the officers posted in police stations and posts.
Infact, in place of conducting investigation over this issue, she had highlighted police’s action against illegal mining operators and gave report highlighting that police had arrested 39 persons who were allegedly involved in transporting illegally quarried minerals from riverbeds between January and July this year.
Apart from this, police seized 68 trucks, trolleys and tractors loaded with illegally quarried riverbed materials. Mining officers who wished anonymity said that trucks loaded with illegally quarried material pass through roads in front of different police stations daily, located to riverbeds areas daily but head of these police offices do not take action against violators.
According to them, vehicles loaded with quarried minerals pass by police posts located at places like Nalapani , Nayagoan, Sabhawala, Selaqui, Rispana and other places. Apart from this, police post officers do not cooperate with them unless they are instructed by their higher police officer. This information revealed that due to lack of coordination among police and district officers, illegal mining activities are rampant in the district.
Moreover, due to lack of inspections being conducted by her in rural parts, Vohra is unaware about ongoing illegal mining activities in the areas under her jurisdiction. However, Patelnagar CO Kumar said that drive against illegal mining operators will continue in Patelnagar area and action will be taken against violators.