Haryana prepares SOP to prevent illegal mining

The deputy commissioner can also get the videography of such area done through drone.He said that the officers should conduct regular meetings of the district task force as well as conduct inspection of the mining areas from time to time.

Tightening the noose around illegal miners, the Haryana government has prepared a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent illegal mining and strictly deal with the cases related to it.

The SOP prepared by the Department of Mines and Geology aims to guide all the stakeholders working with the state government to prevent illegal sand and stone mining and to deal strictly in cases related to it in Haryana.

This information was shared during a review meeting under the chairmanship of chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal with all the deputy commissioners and superintendents of police held through video conferencing here on Wednesday.

The chief secretary was apprised that the SOP is broadly divided into four categories as per the provisions of the State Rules, 2012.

These categories are identification and protection of areas vulnerable to illegal mining activities, investigation of illegal mining on complaint/intimation, vehicles carrying mining material without valid permit, according to an official statement.

The mining concession holders who are violating the conditions of Mining Plan or Environmental Clearance (EC) is also included in these categories.

Kaushal directed the deputy commissioners to ensure strict implementation of the directions issued regarding illegal mining and environment.

He further directed the deputy commissioners to visit personally the sites to keep a check on illegal mining and ensure action against the offenders.

The chief secretary said that on receiving the complaint regarding illegal mining, the deputy commissioner should immediately constitute a committee , including one member from the Mining Department and one from the Police Department.

This committee will immediately inspect the site. If the illegal mining area falls into jurisdiction of the forest land, the representative of the forest department and revenue department will also be included in the committee.

During the inspection, this committee will get the videography done of that area. The deputy commissioner can also get the videography of such area done through drone.

He said that the officers should conduct regular meetings of the district task force as well as conduct inspection of the mining areas from time to time. Besides, crushers set up in the districts should also be carefully monitored and police patrolling should also be increased in such areas, he said.

Kaushal directed the officers concerned to set up check points to track the movement of vehicles involved in illegal mining in areas adjoining other states. Earlier this month, state assembly had witnessed a lengthy discussion on the illegal mining issue, with the Opposition Congress and INLD taking on the BJP-led government on the issue in the wake of the death of a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), who was mowed down by a dumper truck in Nuh on July 19 when he had gone to conduct raids against illegal stone mining.