Rupnagar court directs govt not to allow nakas for ‘goonda tax’ collection

A local court has directed the state government and the Rupnagar administration to ensure that no naka (check-post) is set up in the district by unauthorised persons

A local court has directed the state government and the Rupnagar administration to ensure that no naka (check-post) is set up in the district by unauthorised persons for collecting royalty or ‘goonda tax’ on sand, gravel and stones transported to Punjab by stone-crusher owners from the adjoining Nalagarh area of Solan district of Himachal Pradesh.

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The court of civil judge (senior division), Rupnagar, Madan Lal, in an order dated September 27, issued these directions on an application filed by several stone-crusher owners of Nalagarh area.

The directions have been issued to Rupnagar deputy commissioner, senior superintendent of police, district mining officer and state geologist, industries and commerce department.

The court also restrained defendants Rakesh Chaudhary, Bunty Sandhu and Purab Gill from collecting unnecessary royalty by way of extortion within the area of Rupnagar district.

In their plea, the stone-crusher owners had stated that they have been allotted the river bed and some hill areas of Solan district for mining on lease by the Himachal Pradesh department of industries and geological wing.

They stated that they are having licence to extract sand and gravel and to set up stone-crushers for a period of five years and sell the minerals in adjoining states, and no royalty is required to be paid to anybody as the royalty is already paid to Himachal Pradesh government.