Mining banned in Himachal Pradesh till September, says Industries Minister Chauhan

A complete ban has been imposed on mining activities in Himachal Pradesh till September due to the monsoon, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said on Thursday. He said stringent action will be taken against those violating the ban.

Talking to mediapersons here, Chauhan said the state government has completed all preparations to tackle potential disasters during the monsoon. Necessary instructions have been issued to all deputy commissioners, and adequate funds have been made available for relief and rescue operations.

In the event of a disaster, the district administrations would immediately launch relief and rescue operations to ensure that people receive assistance as quickly as possible, the minister said.

Chauhan said the State Government has adopted a strict stance against illegal mining, and continuous action is being taken across various regions, including the Himachal-Punjab border. Accountability is being fixed for the departments concerned wherever complaints of illegal mining arise.

Regarding the Bulk Drug Park project, the industries minister said construction work is progressing rapidly, with approximately 15 to 20 per cent of the work completed so far.

He informed that some tendering processes are in the final stages and will be concluded soon. About 75 per cent of work related to the power supply and approximately 95 per cent of work related to the drinking water system in the project area have been completed.

Additionally, funds have been released to the Public Works Department for road construction, and a double-lane road will be built to connect the project area, he added.