HC to Punjab: Is illegal mining along Pak border a security threat

It was also claimed that illegal mining through earth-moving and several heavy duty extraction machines is continuing in riverbeds unabated, even during the rainy season and that this is illegal inasmuch as the necessary royalty is also not being deposited

Chandigarh: The Centre as well as Punjab governments have to apprise Punjab and Haryana high court by August 2 whether illegal mining in the border districts of Punjab with Pakistan poses a security threat.

The Centre as well as Punjab governments have to apprise Punjab and Haryana high court by August 2 whether illegal mining in the border districts of Punjab with Pakistan poses a security threat.

The high court bench of chief justices RS Jha and Arun Palli has sought response during resumed hearing of a 2012 plea on the issue of illegal mining in Punjab.

During the resumed hearing, the counsels from the petitioners’ side had submitted before the court that in spite of the orders being passed by the high court, illegal mining well beyond the prescribed limits is continuing unabated in riverbeds, especially in Pathankot and Gurdaspur adjacent to the Pakistan border, and right across the Ravi. The illegal mining has resulted in creation of gorges and ditches, which seriously jeopardizes the security of the country and in fact has practically become an entry point for infiltrators and terrorists,” the counsels had submitted.

It was also claimed that illegal mining through earth-moving and several heavy duty extraction machines is continuing in riverbeds unabated, even during the rainy season and that this is illegal inasmuch as the necessary royalty is also not being deposited. The mining is undertaken through heavy machineries and in a mechanised mode and transportation is also taking place on heavy vehicles having loading capacity of more than 30 tonnes which are in addition overloaded, they further submitted.

When the HC bench asked the Punjab government counsel to respond on the claims, it was submitted that the authorities are taking several measures to prohibit illegal mining. Over 500 FIRs have been registered so far and 589 accused persons have been booked. The authorities are in the process of strengthening the regulatory mechanism and proposing to constitute special investigation team at the district level, the counsel said.

However, when court made a specific query asking the counsel if the illegal mining in riverbeds, which is resulting in serious environmental damage, lowering of water table and posing a serious threat to the national security, has been stopped or not, the counsel could not make a categorical statement and sought time to file an affidavit.

“In such circumstances, the state is granted time to file an affidavit of the higher authority concerned preferably the chief secretary in response to the issues raised in this petition and regarding cessation and stopping of all illegal mining in riverbeds and particularly through mechanized mode,” the bench said posting the matter for August 2.

The court also gave time to central government counsel Arun Gosain to obtain information/instructions from the army and BSF authorities as regards any security threat along the international border areas in Pathankot and Gurdaspur owing to illegal mining and other concerns raised by the petitioners.

In respect of environmental damage, if any, being caused because of illegal mining operations, the court has asked the central government counsel to obtain requisite information/instructions from the ministry of environment, forest and climate change; National Institute of Hydrology and Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, ministry of jal shakti by the adjourned date.