Haryana CM calls for strict action, orders police posts in areas under mining

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday directed authorities to take ‘strictest possible’ action against the culprits involved in illegal mining after a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) was run over by a speeding dump truck in Nuh on Tuesday

Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday directed authorities to take ‘strictest possible’ action against the culprits involved in illegal mining after a deputy superintendent of police (DSP) was run over by a speeding dump truck in Nuh on Tuesday.

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Khattar said that he has directed to set up police post in mining areas. “Check posts will also be set up at the inter-state border and 24x7 patrolling will be conducted by police teams and crime units in suspected areas,” he said.

Varun Singla, superintendent of police, Nuh, said that they have formed teams at all suspected locations where illegal mining takes place. “Our teams are checking all the vehicles entering and exiting the region close to Tauru and where maximum complaints are received. We have also deployed policemen in plain clothes and we have activated our human intelligence in the district. We have roped in sarpanchs and leaders to ensure the locals do not get involved in illegal mining anymore, else strict action will be taken against anyone found ferrying, buying or loading stone, sand and dust from mining sites,” he said.

Police will use high-tech devices and drones in Aravallis to check illegal mining. Special teams will be formed who will check the drone images and will collect data on daily basis and will be shared with senior officials, said police.

Police said raids will be conducted at illegal crusher zones who are operating in the district and suppling construction materials to construction sites.

A special drive will be launched to verify the drivers of dump trucks to get details how many vehicles are involved in the illegal mining, said police.

Singla said all the routes connecting to the villages from where suspects try to steal stones are under scanner now. “A weekly report will be submitted by the station house officer of the area and all the routes will be manned by police. Announcements will be made in all the villages that anyone caught indulging in illegal mining will be booked under strict sections of Indian Penal Code,” he said.

There have been several cases where police have come under attack from mining mafia. The dump trucks ferry mining extracts sand, stones and clay from different areas of Nuh village and sell stones between ₹40,000 and ₹60,000 for each truck.

One of the Tauru villager on anonymity said that there are experts for mining in the villages and they have made secret routes to get stones and store it underground. “The stone is high in demand for farm houses. The crusher machines are installed at many villages in their out houses and they are paid more than ₹2 lakh a month for outsourcing the work. Many youths are involved in illegal mining,” he said requesting anonymity.