Sub-divisional magistrate Pl Shah has ordered end to mining in the areas under Van Panchayat based in Pauri-Kandai village while adding that officials of the National Highways Authority of India have been asked to produce the notification issued for Van Panchayat land for their highway project involving 20 meters on either side of the center of Pauri-Kotdwar National Highway. “After we receive it the full report will be submitted to the district magistrate,” Shah said.
Asked about the complaints figuring in the memorandum served to the DM by Pauri-Kandai Van Panchayat Sarpanch against the unabated spree of illegal mining and reckless encroachment of Van Panchayat land by the Pauri Nagar Palika Parishad, DM Chandra Shekhar Bhatt said he had instructed SDM to probe the complaints following which necessary actions would be taken. He said he had asked SDM Shah to submit the report after the probe was over at the earliest.
It is pertinent to mention here that Van Panchayat Pauri-Kandai sarpanch Jagmohan Singh Rawat accompanied by others like the Congress leader Summant Negi and the former Nagar Palika president and the former vice- president Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam Jaspal Singh met DM and submitted the memorandum, asking for effective and prompt action to stop unauthorized quarrying and encroachment of the Van Panchayat land.
Nagar Palika Parishad had sold over 100 trucks of stones collected through mining and the sum earned thus must be deposited in the account of Pauri-Kandai Van Panchayat, the memorandum demands.
It further says that the mining undertaken at the behest of Pauri Nagar Palika Parishad is in contravention of the Mining Act and is thus punishable. The memorandum says that they would go for a full-blown stir unless actions are taken against those who have transgressed the act.
Those who had met the DM further said that they would put the matter right before the Chief Minister, urging for action.
Bhatt assured them that legal action will be taken against the perpetrators of illegal mining following the probe. “We are alert,” he assured them.
Observers say that neither Pauri Nagar Palika Parishad has any permission to mine nor has it deposited the loyalty to the revenue department. “This results in the State exchequer losing huge losses of revenue. The people are demanding the district administration to explain why it is soft towards the civic body when it is clear that it is engaged in transgressing the laws with impunity,” said one of the observers.