HP Takes Action Against Illegal Mining: Chauhan

Shimla, Jan 16 (PTI) Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan on Thursday has directed officers to take stringent action against those involved in illegal mining, quoting that regions like Nalagarh, Una, Nurpur, and Paonta Sahib were more prone to illegal mining.

Presiding over the meeting to review issues related to mining activities in the state, he said it was unfortunate that this illegal trade was still persisting as violators were bypassing check posts through other alternate routes, which are required to be plugged.

Several initiatives have been taken by the state government to check illegal mining activities in Himachal Pradesh and check posts have been established at various places to check illegal mining and transportation of minerals.

He said the demand for raw material required for various developmental works such as construction of roads and other domestic needs was increasing constantly, thus it was necessary that scientific and proper exploitation of new resources was done by strict implementation of mining rules.

He also directed mining officers to monitor mining sites at regular intervals and said more permission should be given for lease of mines to generate revenue and avoid illegal mining.

The minister also directed expediting the auction of limestone mines at Arki in Solan district, Sunni in Shimla, and Baroh Sindh in Chamba.