Crackdown on illegal mining, 7 poclain machines seized in Ropar

Patiala: In a crackdown on illegal mining, the Ropar administration on Monday claimed to have seized seven poclain machines in one night in the Sainsowal-Sawara-Harsa Bela area of the Nangal division.Acting on the directions of Ropar deputy commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal and SSP Maninder Singh, a team comprising Nangal SDM Sachin Pathak, CIA inspector Mandeep Singh and eight other police officials conducted a raid in the area in the dead of the night and seized the heavy machinery.Pathak said the team split into two and chased the machines in the riverbed from both sides. We were able to seize six poclain machines, the biggest seizure of such machines at one time, he said.Another team, led by the XEN, mining, Bhavuk Sharma, raided and seized one more poclain machine from the riverbed in Swan, said Pathak, adding that the combined effort of civil and police teams came in the wake of complaints received against illegal mining during the last few days.He further said that these raids were expected to serve as a deterrent to illegal mining as part of the "zero tolerance" approach towards illegal mining by CM Bhagwant Mann.The DC expressed satisfaction at the crackdown and said people should actively report cases of illegal mining and support the district administration's effort to curb it. The Dachalwal also said that the administration was duty-bound to implement the NGT guidelines in letter and spirit.MSID:: 131443536 413 |