The Punjab government has set up four check posts at its border with Jammu and Kashmir in Pathankot district to keep a check on the raw material for stone crushers coming into the state.
The information was submitted to the Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday. The high court had taken suo motu notice of a news item, ‘Beas riverbed being plundered with no check on ille g al mining’, which appeared in Hindustan Times on October 6 last year observing that it “prima facie appears to be a serious violation of norms and affecting the environment of the area concerned having wide ramification”.
The court was also informed that the state-level environment impact assessment committee has given its approval for 30 mining quarries in Pathankot out of which contracts of 27 have been awarded by way of e-auction.
It was also added that environment clearance of 27 quarries out of a total of 89 falling in category-A has been granted by the union ministry of environment and forests and out of these quarries contracts of 17 have been awarded.
The court was also informed that the state police were investigating the first information reports registered in Pathankot for illegal mining till date.
{{/usCountry}}The court was also informed that the state police were investigating the first information reports registered in Pathankot for illegal mining till date.
{{/usCountry}}After taking the status report filed by the Pathankot deputy commissioner on record the court found that demarcation process had been carried out on the Pathankot-Jammu boundary and thus directed the authorities to carry out the remaining task expeditiously.
The court was also informed that the state-level environment impact assessment committee has given its approval for 30 mining quarries in Pathankot out of which contracts of 27 have been awarded by way of e-auction.