Erratic police drives against illegal mining activities is landing those who are now having their houses or commercial shops /showrooms constructed in difficulties as they are finding it tough to procure building materials from the markets and when they manage to procure them they have to shell out extra money.
Following the direction of State DGP BS Sidhu, police have launched drives against illegal mining activities in Haridwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Nainital and Dehradun districts over the past few days. The police teams impounded so far 82 dumpers, 20 tractor trolleys, nine trucks, five JCBs and one Pokeland vehicle in course of the drives.
Meanwhile, due to erratic supply of minerals from the riverbeds areas, prices of building materials are on the rise in Haridwar Roorkee, Paonta Sahib and other parts of Himachal Pradesh. Dehradun residents who were purchasing sands for Rs70 per quintal around a week ago are being forced to shell out around Rs75 to Rs80 for that in the markets.
Similarly, the prices of building stones, coarse sand and other materials have also witnessed upward trend. A local supplier Rishi said that following seizure of round 100 dumpers, tractors and trucks, supply of building minerals in the markets has come down, forcing those who require them to go for higher prices.
Sohan Bisht, resident of Nehru Colony, who is now building his house, said that he has been facing problems to procure building materials from the markets for the past two or three days. Suppliers have increased price of materials by around Rs10 per quintal, he added. Devbhoomi Building Material Suppliers and Truck Operators Welfare Committee president Anil Pandey had alleged on Wednesday that the state government has been harassing the truck operators in the name of the drives despite them showing relevant documents to the officers concerned.