Nine vehicles loaded with illegally quarried river bed material were seized in Vikasnagar and Rishikesh area in the last two days.
Temporary Police Chowki has been established near different riverbed areas to stop illegal mining activities in the area, said Vikasnagar
sub divisional magistrate Ashok Kumar while talking to The Pioneer on Friday.
The maximum penalty is being imposed against illegal mining operators, he added.
Kumar said “We along with forest department have launched drives against illegal mining activities in the riverbed area of Vikasnagar. Tehsildars are deployed along with police personnel in illegal mining prone areas and maximum penalty is being imposed on violators”.
Seven tractors were seized on Wednesday and Rs16, 500 in the form of penalty was imposed against illegal
mining operators.
As per the direction of the district magistrate, FIR will be lodged against the owners if their vehicles loaded with illegally quarried river bed material are caught thrice.
"We carried out instant raids on receiving reports of any activity of illegal mining and some times deployed our teams for surprise inspection," he added.
Kumar further said that it has been experienced that illegal mining operators lift the minerals, sands and grit during late evening and early morning.
"In view of increasing cases of illegal mining activities during these hours, we have established temporary police post at different places in Vikasnagar,”. Police post in-charges have been strictly directed to seize vehicles loaded with illegally quarried river bed material," he said.
In another development, Rishikesh SDM has seized two vehicles loaded with riverbed mineral on Friday.