In view of the rising incidents of illegal mining, the Rajnandgaon district administration on Friday said action would be taken against both the driver and the owner of the vehicles if they were found involved in illegal transportation of minerals.
Acting on the direction issued by district collector Ashok Agrawal on Thursday, police registered cases against the owners and drivers of as many as five vehicles, officials said.
The administration thinks drivers alone cannot be held responsible always for the illegal mining and transportation of different minerals including iron ore and sand. They cannot carry out such work without the consent or knowledge of the vehicle owners.
They believe that the illegal transportation can be stopped only when both the driver and owners would be made accountable.
The district collector on Thursday held a meeting with the concerned officials of the revenue and mining department. The other senior officials who attended the meeting include Sub-Divisional Magistrate Bl Gajpal.
He directed the officials to act against both the drivers and owners of such vehicles without fear. The administration has reported received reports that the illegal mining activities were going on in Salhebara, Churia, Mokhli, Bharaingaon and in more than a dozen of other places.
By taking action against the vehicle owners, the administration aimed to put a stop in all the illegal mining activities.